


Spades Are Wild

by TamCatG13



Category: The Blacklist (TV), The Untouchables (TV 1959)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Comfort/Angst, Crossover, F/M, Gangster/Mobsters, Jazz Age, Murder, Prohibition, Roaring Twenties, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-03 15:35:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10250348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TamCatG13/pseuds/TamCatG13
Summary: After his underground Speakeasy is raided by the Feds; New York's most notorious Crime Lord, Raymond "Red" Reddington is offered a deal by chief federal prohibition agent, Eliot Ness, to assist the FBI in locating and taking down an unknown Chicago Mobster that is trying to infringe on New York's most powerful mobsters, and start a regional turf war. Reddington refuses at first; but quickly changes his tone when he catches a glance of Ness' young secretary, Rookie Agent Elizabeth Keen, and instantly falls in love with her. Red makes the deal in exchange for a chance to speak to her.Although their initial meeting is cold at best; when her brother is brutally murdered in in a suspected mob hit in Chicago. Liz swallows her pride, and turns to Red for his help, after Ness refuses to investigate. Heartbroken and desperate for answers; she finds comfort in Red's company, and finds herself falling in love with the hardened criminal; risking her fragile future with the FBI, Elizabeth goes undercover as Red's gun moll, and is pulled into Red's dark world as they try to her find her brother's killer.An AU Crossover piece where Raymond Reddington meets Eliot Ness in the 1959 original TV series "The Untouchables."





	1. Chapter 1

Deep in the heart of the days of Prohibition; located somewhere beneath the hip jazz clubs of Harlem's bustling nightlife; in a busy New York City Speakeasy filled with the raw stench of perspiration, cheap cigarettes, stale beer, and homemade whiskey; a tall attractive blonde waitress wearing an obscenely short, gold flapper dress walks through packed bar room, balancing a small round black tray over a sea of fedoras and pillbox hats. On that tray stands one solitary glass of Scotland's finest Single Malt Scotch Whiskey for a very special patron. The young lady forces her way through a crowd of drunken high-society men trying to take advantage of her in the tight and confined environment, but she moves with elegance and feminine grace as she presses through the tight squeeze; brushing past the bulging erections pushing against her hips. The determined flapper finally makes it through the drunken mob with poise and her head held high, and disappears behind a set of heavy velvet curtains.

With her little tray balancing on her fingertips, and breathing a sweet sigh of relief for a moments peace and quiet away from the main riff-raff of ‘Happy Hour’; she smiles and continues down a narrow dimly lit hallway, stopping in front of a closed door marked "Private" at the end of the hall. She knocks three times, and places her hand on the brass knob, twisting the tumblers to open the door. A thick plume of smoke is released when the waitress quickly pushes the door open and steps into the hazy back room where a high stakes poker game is going on. Five weary eyed, sweat drenched men sit around a large round card table, smoking like fish, and staring emotionless at their cards, while passing cold discerning glances at each other. The sound of Duke Ellington's jazz combo playing in the club above them can be clearly heard through air vents; one of the reasons her boss chose this particular location to conduct his business.

The night is a steamy one in late August, and they are underground. The lovely young lady finds it difficult to breathe as she enters the room. The strong smell of sweaty testosterone rising their backs, mixed with the humidity and smoke from cheap cigarettes, and expensive cigars is almost overwhelming for her in such a confined space; but the boss pays her well; so she doesn’t really mind. The breeze from the ceiling fan above gives movement to the smoke and dust particles in the air, little relief from the sweltering heat.

She walks with the grace and dignity that her mama taught her when entering a room. The gold metallic fringe of her dress shimmies with her movements; catching the dim hazy light, and the eyes; dazzling the men out of their somber weary states, easing the tension in the room just a bit as she struts across the room to deliver a drink to the man sitting at the opposite end of the table, facing the door.

His eyes shaded by the brim of his dark grey fedora; he nonchalantly sits back in his chair. With his sleeves rolled up, his vest unbuttoned, and his shirt collar undone; he drums his fingertips on the cards his dealt hand, as he waits for the others to place their bets. Even in his casual state; it is obvious to all that he clearly owns the room, and everyone in it. He is the illicit establishment's proud owner, New York City's most nefarious crime lord, Raymond "Red" Reddington.

He tilts his head up, holding a big fat cuban cigar in his teeth, as he smiles as the waitress to approach him. His eyes travel all over her as she bends down to set the glass down in front of him. "Thanks, doll." He runs hand up her thigh, and squeezes her tush, as he slips a Benjamin into her bra, and whispers to her " This is for your nephew's schooling."

"Oh thank you, Mr. Reddington, Dolores would have been so grateful." she says barely able to contain her gratitude.

”Your sister was an amazing woman, Rita. I’m happy to do it, sweetheart.” He smiles warmly as he gives her a kiss on the cheek, and rolls his tongue along his lips as he watches her exit the room.

He takes a generous sip from his glass of Highland Scotch, savouring the soothing burn that descends all the way down his throat "Mmm; pure distilled perfection....Ok; Call it."

"Pair of Deuces" ; "Full House" ; "I got nothin', Red."

"Nico?....What have you got?" Red's associate sits frozen in his chair, hesitant in laying down his cards. Another bead of sweat trickles down the side of his face, but not because of the summer heat...it was fear. He had subtly slipped a card out of his cuff while Red was tomcatting with the waitress, and is now he is having second thoughts about his decision. "Nico!...I haven't got all night."

"Three Aces" his voice shakes as he places down a hand with an Ace of Hearts, Diamonds, and Spades.

Red's face turns cold dead serious, and his eyes darken with anger and regret. He pulls his black revolver out of the holster in his pants, and aims it directly at his associate’s heart. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Red?"

"Spades are wild, yes. Those are the house rules under my roof.....But Nowhere in the rules of poker does it call for TWO Ace of Spades." Red explains, he lays down a Royal Flush consisting of all Spades.

"I tolerate almost anything in my club...but there is one things I will never accept in my house, and that is 'Disloyalty'. Someone's been skimming off the books, and it's clear to me now who. A man who cheats at cards, cheats at life." BANG!

The sound of the gunshot, echoed through the hall. A tall lanky older woman with dark, bob haircut and horn-rimmed glasses comes storming in, wearing a white less ostentatious flapper-style dress. "You ok, dearie?"

"Yes, Kate. Nico not so much. I guess the heat was too much for him." Red says as he looks at his former trusted associate lying slumped over his cards on the table.

"I'll take care of it, dearie. You just run along." Red takes his cigar from his teeth, grabs his drink and plants a kiss on her forehead while placing his hand on her back as he passes by her. He whispers softly in her ear, "I will never understand how you manage to keep that dress so white." She turns her head slightly as he reaches the door behind her.

"Bleach, dearie." She says matter of factly. He nod with a crooked smile as he leaves the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Red heads down the hall to the main room; he hears the growing sound of the drunken patrons laughing and dancing to the joyous sounds of swing jazz music from above, and smiles to see so many people in his club enjoying themselves. One would almost forget that 'The Great Depression' is in full swing just outside those doors. He sits himself down at an empty table, and sighs as he takes another drink from his scotch. As all of his cheerful guests having fun; Red watches and reflects on his own life:

Raymond Reddington is the most powerful Crime Lord in New York City. Known as the "Concierge of Crime"; Red can bring the entire city to its knees with a snap of his fingers, if he so desires. He has earned a respect, and an understanding with other elite Criminals, and Mobsters in the city; and with most of local politicians, Tammany bosses, and lawmen on his payroll; he should feel set and secure, but he doesn't...something is missing...a woman to share it with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Red sits there at his table absorbing the festive atmosphere, but the combination of heat, smoke and alcohol is beginning to get to him; making him a bit lightheaded. He stumbles to his feet just as a flood of G-men storm the club's doors wielding axes, crowbars, and shotguns; causing panic and sending everyone running, and scrambling to get out. The horrific sounds of women's screams, splitting wood, and broken glass replace all the joy and merriment that had filled that room just moments before. As Reddington struggles to stay conscious in his inebriated state, he watches helplessly as the Feds ransack, and disassemble his lovely establishment. Raymond catches a glance of the man ahead of this pandemonium. A tall man with red curly head, flaring blue eyes and a calm demeanour, accompanied by a couple federal goons in cheap grey suits.

"Raymond Reddington!" The man calls out as Red passes out, and falls down on to the floor in front of the feet of the notorious Eliot Ness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *A Special Thank You to Dsophie39 for all your help with the pics.


	2. Chapter 2

 

In the basement of the local precinct; Red is sleeping it off, slumped in the corner of a dingy little jail cell. He is roused by the echo of footsteps growing closer as he squints to get his eyes to adjust to the hazy light. His head feels like it had been thrown under the busy A train, and he desperately could use a shower.

As the footsteps pound ever closer; he cringes at every step, until he hears a deep voice of authority yell, "Well, well, well...Raymond 'Red' Reddington!" His voice sounds a lot louder than it actually is, between the echoing from the cement wall, and the sensitivity from his hangover, Special Agent Eliot Ness of the FBI, the man feared by the entire criminal underworld is addressing him directly.

"What do you want?" Red musters up the strength to prop himself up, and open up his eyes. He leans with his back to the wall, and looks at him with the same blank poker face he gives anyone that threatens him.

"What do you mean, 'What do I want'? We've shut down your operation. We have enough to put you away for a long time." Ness says dryly.

"The head G-man don't come down to a rusty little cell in Harlem to chitchat with New York's biggest criminal mastermind. I would be sitting in chains up in Sing Sing by now. So, what do you do want?" Red says defiantly.

Ness nods his head, and says "Bring him."

Two wiry police guards hustle Reddington to his feet, and place the bracelets on him behind his back. Red is a big man. Not extremely tall, but for what he lacks in height, he makes up for in strength in his broad shoulders, and solid sturdy legs. He grew up on the docks working for his dad, and since has never lost his strength. He could overtake those two Rookies cops in a second, but his observance is correct, and he wants to hear what Ness has to say.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They take Red upstairs to the third floor of the precinct which is doubling as a major crimes task force unit for the FBI, and take him into a small interrogation room, and set him down on one of the two rickety chairs facing the large glass window with the horizontal blinds drawn. One of the guards removes his handcuffs from his wrists, and leaves the room just as the head G-Man comes in, carrying a cup of coffee.

Ness places the cup down on the table, in front of Red as he watches him rub his wrists where the cuffs had dug in, and offers him a cigarette. "To what do I owe this grant of hospitality?" as he takes the cigarette and gestures for a light.

"Alright; I'll cut to the chase, Reddington. You're probably wondering why you're here, and not being sent upstate?" the federal agent rhetorically asks as he stands across from him, leaning his weight onto the table; and peering at Red as he nonchalantly takes the cigarette from his lips, and blows a swirling plume of smoke into air sporting a self-confident smile.

"Oh my God. The suspense is killing me." He responds indifferently, angering Ness, as if Red already knows what he is going to say next. The irritated Ness pushes off the table, and paces the room, as he tries not to let Reddington get under his skin.

Red sits completely at ease, as he takes a sip of coffee, and looks up at him raising an eyebrow, "Well; let's hear it, Eliot." Ness stands with his hands on his hips, takes a breath, and begins to speak:

"Reddington; you are one of the most powerful Crime Bosses on the East Coast..."

"Thank you." Red says smugly.

Ignoring that remark, he continues "Do you have any business in Chicago?"

"That's my business, not yours." Red responds with a deadpan glance sitting back in his chair.

"Don't play hardball with me, Red. I know you have some dealings there."

"I didn't say 'I didn't.' I said what business is it of yours?" Red is beginning to get a bit irritated with his sidestepping.

"Some unknown mobster is trying to stir up trouble between rival gangs in Chicago. Now; we know one of your business partners, Nico Demakis has been doing a lot of business there recently, and we would like a few words with him."

"Mr. Demakis and I have recently severed relations citing ethical differences. I haven't seen him since. I don't know where he is." Red's voice becomes a lot congenial as he talks about his former associate.

"He stiffed you." Replying in a more muted.

"He stoled from me." Red corrects him.

"Sorry to hear that." He says in a calmer, less heated tone, realizing that he is probably sinking to the bottom of the East River by now.

Red concludes; leaning back and recalling, "My father always told me 'Honor loyalty above all else.' It's a rule I enforce without question. One doesn't survive long in this business without it."

"I guess there's no honor among thieves."

Reddington cocks his head and says; "Agent Ness, your not here to ask me about Nico. You are now beginning to try my patience; either release me, or tell me what it is you want from me?"

"You're hardly in a position to be giving orders, Reddington."

"And knowing the fuzz; you hardly have the extra time on your hands to kill, so spill it, Ness." Red lashes back.

"We need your underground resources to help up find this guy. He bold, brazen, and extremely dangerous. Do you recall St. Valentines Day, last year?"

"What's your point?" Red says solemnly.

"My point is, we have it on good authority that this guy orchestrated the whole thing; turning the North and South Side Gangs against each other, and word is he wants to expand his operations to New York. We need you to help us find him."

"And if I say no?" Red asks defiantly again.

"Then you're at the mercy of the judge. It's the electric chair for you, I'm sure." Ness explains.

As defiant as he walked in, he says "I haven't gotten where I am today by being a snitch. If word gets out to the families that I'm squealing to the Feds; St. Valentines Day is going to look like a mere schoolyard scuffle. No deal; Ness. I'll take my chances with the chair."

Ness sighs dejected and disappointed, but he does have a point. After an awkward moment of silence comes three sharp knocks on the glass. Ness pulls down the string to raise up the horizontal blinds. A tall ginger haired detective standing behind the glass window signals him to come out. The Federal Agent pulls open the door,

"Don't Move. I'll be right back." He growls; closing the door behind him.

Ness looks back at Reddington through the window, sitting there contently sipping his coffee, and enjoying his cigarette, realizing he's not a threat an speaks at ease with the other detective.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he sits alone in the interrogation room; Reddington watches the Agents no doubt discussing him, although he cannot hear their voices, it's obvious by the quick random glances they give him at they speak.

Red claws his fingers around the rim of the cup; while holding his cigarette between his fingers he brings it up to his lips, and tosses his head back to finish the last sip of strong black coffee. He cringes, closing his eyes as he swallows the last few drops which are particularly "tanky". As he straightens his head, and opens his eyes; Red looks into the empty drinking vessel; confirming to himself that he is now stone cold sober after that last swallow.

Shifting his gaze back up as boredom begins to set in. Red takes that moment to stare out glass window again, and observe detectives working diligently in the precinct's office space:

From where he sits, Red can clearly see two rows of desks cluttered with stacks of paperwork, newspapers, ashtrays needing to be cleaned out, photographs both spilling out of the piled up case files, and framed ones of the detectives' family members sitting next to half eaten boxes of Chinese takeout, and a bottle of root beer.

There's a large black chalkboard with illegible writing and scribbles on it, and a pinup board with with couple of FBI wanted posters, and mugshots flapping in the breeze created by the two large ceiling fans up above, and directly across the from him is another enclosed office with a large glass window, with a heavy wooden desk, a large overstuffed leather chair, a grey metal file cabinet, and a wooden coat rack holding a grey suit jacket an empty holster, and a grey fedora. Red deducts that that must be Ness' office.

As Red admiring the wooden craftsmanship on his desk; a beautiful young lady steps into his office wearing a finely tailored navy blue dress suit, accentuating her every curve and luscious long legs. Reddington is completely taken away lovely dark haired goddess with red button earrings to match her full red lips.

"I must have her." He thinks as he fantasizes about her sitting on his knee in his club. The thought makes the blood rush to his groin, and he rolls his tongue along his lips, as if he can already taste the sweet perfume on her neck.

Red is jolted out of his fantasy when Ness storms through the door, with the ginger haired detective following behind him. "Reddington; this is Detective Donald Ressler. We've decided to give you one last more chance at our offer before we send you upstate."

"Deal." Red says to their surprise, not taking his eyes off of...her.

"What?" Agent Ness says, not believing what he is hearing.

"Deal. I'll do it under three conditions." He continues.

"What's that?" Det. Ressler says in a perturbed voice.

"I want my club back, fully operational, and my employees released...." Ness frowns, but lets him continue.

"I want full immunity..." he continues while they hear him out.

"....and I want to speak to the dame." He finishes with a soft-confident smile.

"Out of the question; Reddington. Those are irrational demands" Ness shouts back.

"I assure you Agent Ness; I am perfectly sober." His face is deadpan serious. "Come on; Eliot....Who's the dame?" with a hint of a smirk.

Ness sighs. "She's my secretary, but she'll never agree to speak to you."

"Do we have a deal; Ness?" Red crosses his arms, waiting for an answer. The room seems to be filling up with the same heat, and tension that had been in that poker game a few hours earlier.

"Fine Red. You win." Ness reluctantly gives in to Reddington's coaxing.

"On all three?" Red clarifies.

"Yes...The Club, the Immunity, and the broad." He nods, too proud to face the criminal mastermind in the eye; though. Agent Ness agrees to all of Reddington's demands. Red returns him with a satisfied smile.

"What's her name...Eliot?" Red says almost seductively.

"It's Elizabeth.....Elizabeth Keen...she's a rookie FBI agent....bright mind, but unseasoned enough to be a field agent." He says brashly.

Red speaks in a low soft voice. "Let me talk to her, Eliot. Just five minutes."


	3. Chapter 3

Red looks on from the glass window of the interrogation room; extinguishing his cigarette in the small porcelain ashtray that rests on the windowsill. He slips his hands into his pockets, and watches; with a hint of jealousy and longing; the all powerful Eliot Ness grip his young secretary by the arm; a little rougher than he should treat such a precious flower such as herself; and hustles her into the corner of his office, and closing the glass door of his office behind him to have a private word with her.

As he watches the two of them discuss their arrangement, seeing her lovely blue eyes glance over her boss' shoulder, making eye contact with Red for the first time. His muscles tense as she looks at him with fear in her eyes, the look of betrayal that she gives her boss, as he tries to explain to her that he has practically traded her freedom for that of a hardened criminal.

Shaking her head wildly in refusal; Ness grabs her arms tightly, and shaking her as he tries to convince her. Red's heart sinks as see her begin to cry. The thought that he had caused her to be treated so roughly by her employer was never his intention. He starts to regret deal that he had just made as he watches Ness strong-arm her like a common criminal.

"I must protect her. Take her from this place where she is clearly not respected." He vows to himself as he is forced to watch her being assaulted in his arms.

Red gives her a pained, but compassionate smile as she looks at him again. Suddenly; the fear in her eyes seems to subside, and she stops struggling to free herself from Ness grip. Red breathes a sigh of relief as Ness loosens his grip on the young lady's arms, and backs away from her. He places his hand on her shoulder and speaks to her in a calmer, more civilized tone. Red watches to admire her soft, innocent beauty as she lowers her head with her eyes closed, and nods her head in agreement. Ness then smiles and gives her a pat on the back as he holds the door open for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clearly still frightened; Elizabeth seems to have mustered enough courage to at least talk to him. She stands frozen as Ness closes the office door behind them. She looks straight ahead, past the detectives desks, and directly at Reddington in the Interrogation room as he has decided to sit back down in the chair to appear less threatening to her when she comes in. He takes out his white handkerchief, and makes an attempt to clear off the stray ashes, and wipe of any spilled drops of coffee off the table. His small attempts to tidy up the "Aquarium"; as the cops like to call it; makes her smile inside,and a little more at ease.

"At least he's cute." she thinks to herself; and under any other circumstance she might consider him prospective lover; but he's a notorious gangster, and she's just a lowly federal agent. She cannot give him any reason to think she's smitten, or Agent Ness will fire her immediately. She had worked hard to get through the academy and land a job with the FBI. As a woman, and with Depression in all; there aren't many jobs to be had besides waitressing, and switchboard operator. "Keep it cool, Liz. It's only five minutes." She takes a breath, as Ness and his man Ressler assure her that they are keeping an eye on him, and are right if anything should happen. Liz nods as Agent Ness opens the door for her.

"Agent Keen; what a pleasure." Red says in his deep baritone voice; sitting at the table with a gentle smile; he gestures her to sit in the chair across from him. Holding back a smile so as not to look easy, and lose her standing; she accepts his invitation to sit and moves towards the table to the other rickety chair that stands waiting in across from him. His eyes never leave her as she sits her lovely curvaceous hips onto the seat, and folds her hands placing them on the table.

"Well...I'm here." She says with a sigh. "What do you want from me?" She says with a deadpan pout.

"Just a chance to speak to a friendly face;....something I don't run across too often." He looks down at his hands, as he loosely folds his handkerchief around his finger.

"Why me?...Nothing special about me." She says abruptly.

"Oh;...I think you're very special... too special to be treated like that by those Neanderthals." Red tightens his grip on the white square off linen. Liz lowers her head in shame for a second, but quickly recovers.

 

"So what do you want from me?" She asks quickly, and businesslike.

"I want to offer you a job." Red says as he sits back in his chair; head halfcocked with relaxed over the seat back of the chair.

"What as one of your doxies?" She shakes her head sarcastically.

Red leans his head back and laughs "Haha....No Lizzie, I already employ 12 of those fine young dames in my club."

He looks at her more seriously and directly "No. I'm offering you an assignment...undercover work...a chance to prove yourself to your peers."

Elizabeth is speechless. Then chokes out "Mr. Reddington, I don't think I can."

"Please...call me 'Raymond'....I want you to come with me to Chicago." He says softly.

Standing up gracefully, afraid for her job; Elizabeth respectfully turns him down. "I'm sorry Mr. Reddington. I make it a habit not to negotiate with gangsters. You'll just have to find someone else."

Red's confident smile disappears from his face as he abruptly stands up, and slowly moves towards her. Elizabeth can feel his heat as he nearly brushes past her. He can smell her fear and her arousal as he stands less than inches apart. Raymond looks deep into bright blue her eyes, and leans in as if to kiss her on the neck, and whispers into her ear while slipping his handkerchief into her pocket. "My offer still stands...."

Elizabeth stands motionless as she watches him open the door, and find his hat sitting on a chair just outside. As the ink dries on his Immunity Deal; Raymond Reddington bows his head to place his dark grey fedora on his head; straightening the brim as he turns back to bid Agent Ness and his task force "Adieu" brandishing a big smile, and strolls confidently out the precinct door a free man.


	4. Chapter 4

As Elizabeth walks home from a long hard day; she enters the foyer of her building and climbs the stairs up to third floor apartment. As she ascends each steps; Liz thinks about that mysterious man she met earlier at work. She cannot seem to get that man's face out of her mind...his voice, smooth as silk. "Maybe I shouldn't have struck him down so brashly." That thought kept running over and over again in her head, all the way home. "Stop it Liz. He's out of your league...and he's a no good gangster...Such a handsome fella, though...and so charming." A smile appears on Elizabeth's face as she thinks about him, but then she frowns when she thinks about what Ness would do if he found out. "Oh; well." She sighs.

Stopping in front of the apartment marked "3B" ; Elizabeth reaches down and opens her purse to find her key. Looking down; she recalls the heat she felt as he brushed past her. "No, Liz. He's a gangster, and a murderer, forget about him." She tells herself; finally finding her key. She pulls it out of her and turns the key in the lock as quietly as she can as to not arouse interests of the nosy neighbors.

Just as she opens the door to her quiet humble apartment, and turns on the light. She jumps when she is startled by the sound of her candlestick phone ringing cuts through the melancholy silence of that steamy hot summer night. She pushes the door closed behind her, and lays her purse on the chair and pulls the chain on the lamp next to the ringing phone.

Elizabeth picks up the heavy receiver placing it up to her ear, and takes the phone in her other hand to speak. "Hello?"

In a nasal sounding voice, she could clearly detect a midwestern accent. "Yes, Can I speak to Miss Elizabeth Keen, please?"

"This is Elizabeth Keen. Who is this?"

"Ah yes; this is Detective Sergeant Harold Cooper of the Chicago PD. I regret to inform you that your brother Richard may have been one of the victims in a suspected mob hit. I'm very sorry, Miss Keen...Miss Keen?" She slides her back down, and crouches down on the floor. "No...Not Ricky."

She loved her brother. Even though they hadn't seen each other since she was 13, after their parents split; they stayed in contact with each other through the mail. The last letter had come about a month ago. Ricky always had a love for the cards, and had a bit of a gambling problem. He had written in his last letter that he was broke, and needed money to pay off a debt. Liz had wired him some through Western Union; not much; but it was half of her last paycheck from her job as a switchboard operator. She had hoped to send him more now that she has a federal job, but who knows what Ricky had gotten himself into.

Speechless, and in shock she hangs up the phone, and dials Ness at home, but he's not much comfort. He says "I'm sure the detectives at the Chicago PD are perfectly capable. That is not our jurisdiction, and we have more important things to worry about. I expect to see you bright and early at work tomorrow morning, Miss Keen. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir." Liz could barely choke out those two words before she hangs up the receiver. She pushes the lamp onto the floor to hear it break as breaks down and cries her eyes out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After crying for what seems like hours; she feels around for something to dry her eyes with. Liz reaches into her pocket, and pulls out a white linen handkerchief with a white monogrammed "R" on it. "Reddington." She remembers he must have slipped that in her pocket when he brushed against her. The small square of fine white linen feels oddly comforting to her as she thinks about the short time they had spent together in the aquarium.

 

Liz manipulates the fabric in her hand when finds an ink stain of on of the corners near the hem. She holds it up to the light and discovers that it's not a stain but a phone number. Angry and desperate for answers; Liz decides to take a chance and dials the number. She waiting anxiously; her heart pounding in her chest; as she hears it dial through. She hears a click and a deep voice answer, "Hello?"

"Mr. Reddington? This is Agent Elizabeth Keen." She says; her voice shaking.

"One moment." says the man on the other end, with a pause that seems like an eternity. She then hears a voice that she recognizes from earlier that evening.

"Agent Keen, I hadn't expected to hear from you so soon. What can I do for you?" His voice is a sound for sore ears; soft and comforting; and just what she needs right now.

"Something's happened. I need to speak with you." Her voice begins to calm, after hearing his voice. "Stay there, Lizzie. I'll have my man pick you up."

"Wait; you don't even know where I li..." "Click." He ends the call abruptly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She takes the time to freshen up her hair and makeup. "Mr. Reddington is high class. I don't want to look like a tramp." she thinks as she cleans off the mascara and liner of her cheek. Not long after, there is a knock at the door. Elizabeth places her hand on the doorknob and takes a peek out the peep hole. A large black man with a very dark complexion stands outside her door. The man is exquisitely dressed in a black Italian made pinstripe suit, black shirt and tie,and sporting a black fedora.

Liz opens the door carefully; leaving the chain latched; and popping her head around. She asks "Yes?"

"Mr. Reddington sent me to come for you." he says in In a heavy African accent, showing no emotion in his face.

 

"You work for Reddington?" She asks, and he nods respectfully. "Just a minute. I'll fetch my purse." she says as she momentarily closes the door and undoes the chain. Liz grabs her purse off the chair, and opens the door. She locks the door behind her, and follows Reddington's man down the stairwell; knowing the walls have eyes and surely is Mrs. Dixon is watching.

He leads her into the alley, where sits a brand new shiny black 1931 Mercedes Benz 770 Größer waiting to take her to him. The man holds the door for Elizabeth as she steps into the backseat. She admires the handcrafted wooden panels and fine leather seats as the man goes around to gets behind the wheel to take her to a secret location outside Manhattan.

As they drive down the bright lights of Broadway she starts to think about her brother, and what kind of trouble he may have gotten himself into. She catches herself before begins to cry again by starting up a conversation.

"This is a beautiful automobile." She says as he drives over the Brooklyn Bridge.

"Mr. Reddington enjoys beautiful things." He tells her while glancing at her with a hint of a smile in the rear view mirror. Liz finds a small smile in herself too. To be honest with herself; even though she terrified; Liz is actually kinda looking forward to seeing him again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

As they arrive at this opulent manor in Brooklyn Heights overlooking the East River. The man assists her out of the vehicle and leads her up to the doorstep. Liz is about to ring the bell, when the door opens up. It's him. Reddington opened the door himself; looking less disheveled than the last time she had seen him; wearing a crisp white shirt, buttoned up dark grey silk lapel vest, and a burgundy print silk tie.

"Lizzie..." he smiles and tilts his head, but his smile begins to fade. Red can see by her eyes that she had been crying, a lot. "Lizzie, please come in." She steps inside, and he closes the door "What happened?...Someone tried to hurt you?"

"It's my brother..." She said as she begins to cry again; and for some unknown reason she can't explain; Liz wraps her arms around him and balls her eyes out. Red tries to calm her by closing his arms around her, and stoking the back of her hair. He gives her a light kiss on the temple and tells her "Shhh...It's ok, Lizzie. You're going to be ok."

Elizabeth tries to speak "Oh, Mr. Reddington...I'm so sorry. I don't know what's come over me. I don't even know you." Still clinging to him in his arms; he tells her "Shhh...call me Raymond. It's alright, sometimes you just need a strong shoulder to cry on. Tell me what happened."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red takes Liz into his study and sits her down on the red velvet chaise and pours her a glass of bourbon. "Here...I think you need this..."

"Thank you..." Liz takes a sip of the warm sweet bourbon. Even though it burns all the way down it soothes and calms her nerves. "Now...tell me about your brother."

"When I got to my apartment, I got a long distance from the Chicago PD telling me that my brother had been murdered. He did have a bit of a gambling problem. I would wire They said it may have been a mob hit. I phoned Ness, but he said the we don't have jurisdiction."

"That's bullshit!...sorry. He does have jurisdiction. Ness is just being a prick." Red's nostrils flair, and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, as he sips his scotch to ease his temper.

Elizabeth sits holding her glass, with her elbows on her knees, she looks up at him with those bright blue eyes. "Raymond....you offered to give me an assignment, to take me with you to Chicago. I have decided to accept your offer, if you help me find my brother's killer."

"From what you're telling me; it sounds like we are both fighting the same enemy, and I do know something about gambling debts." Red sets his glass down on the table, and sits down next to Elizabeth. He puts his arm around her, and she lays her head on his shoulder. "I do not think it's safe for you to go back to your apartment. I want you to stay with me, tonight. My man Dembe will fetch you anything you need."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lizzie moves her face closer to his neck, while Raymond looks down at her, as their eyes meet. Lizzie pulls him a little closer, and he holds her tighter, and he leans down to kiss her savoringly on her soft red lips. Liz shifts to face him, and raises her hand; placing her hand on his cheek. She places her other arm on his shoulder wrapping her hand behind his neck.

Her breath becomes deeper as his tongue enters her mouth, and wraps seductively around hers. Lizzie wraps both her arms around his neck as he lays her gently down onto the plush velvet chaise. His lips travel down to her neck. She sighs as she says his name, "Mmm...Raymond."

"Lizzie, my doll...I want to give you the love that you deserve. I want to keep you safe."


	5. Chapter 5

Elizabeth takes her hand and places it on Raymond's face. He has taken her upstairs into his bedroom, where he has laid her down upon his giant king sized bed. She brushes her fingers along the side of his face, as he sits on the edge of the bed next to her, loosening his tie and undoing the top button of his collar. Lizzie looks up at him, and slides her fingertips down his neck; following down the row of buttons on his shirt and vest, she rests her hand on the warm bulge in his trousers.

He closes his eyes, feeling the heat of her hand right through the layers of fabric; doing nothing to discourage her, Red unbuttons his vest and slides it off his back. Lizzie reaches for him with her other hand as he unbuttons his shirt, he catches her hand by the wrist and places her hand on her shirt collar, while manipulating her fingers to unbutton her blouse.

As she begins to get aroused, her hand squeezes and massage his groin. Red smiles and groans in enjoyment. He opens up her blouse, and gently and carefully slips his hand into the cup of her bra massaging her soft breast, as he looks into her eyes. Red leans down to kiss her; slipping his free hand under her back to raise her off the mattress, to remove her blouse, and then lay her gently back down on the bed. Her body seems to melt into the cool white satin sheets.

Red then removes his white t-shirt, and then leans down as if to kiss her again but hesitates, and asks her "Why did you decide to see me?"

"I didn't know where else to go." She said with a slight whimper of embarrassment in her voice.

"I don't mean tonight, I mean earlier...You were clearly terrified of me; with good reason; especially when Ness was forcing you to see me....What made you change your mind?" He asks as he hovers over her.

Liz slowly runs her hands all over his hairy chest; "He threatened to fire me. Told me I would never work again." not looking at him while she answers him in the same stern tone she used then. It didn't convince him then, and it's not convincing him now.

"That's not it, Lizzie. I don't believe you....What's the real reason?" Red says calmly as he feels the softness of her long brown hair.

She sighs as he saw right through her; "When I saw you watching; I saw fear, pain...a true concern. There was a kindness in your eyes that I wanted to get to know...."

"...but were afraid to show, because you were afraid of losing your job. You were supporting your brother's gambling habit." Red finishes. Liz lowers her eyes and nods her head. He lifts her chin up with his finger to look into her bright blue eyes, and places a soft tender kiss upon her lips.

Red then abruptly gets up off the bed, and walks over to a large dresser that sits by the empty fireplace, and slides open the heavy top drawer. Liz props herself higher on the pillow burning with curiosity. "Raymond?..."

He doesn't answer, but appears to be looking for something. He then closes the drawer, and returns carrying a small turquoise box. Red has a small pained smile on his face as he looks down at the box. "Raymond?...What is it?"

He swallows and lifts the lid of the tiny Tiffany's box, and inside lay loosely, a pair of diamond stud earrings; about 2 karats; set in platinum, with a small teardrop fancy cut stone drop dangling from them, catching the dim light in the room. Red had noticed that Liz has pierced ears but is not wearing any earrings. "They're beautiful, Raymond."

"These were my wife's." He says solemnly as he stirs them with his finger in the box "I bought them for her as a birthday present. She never took them off; even when we made love. It used to make me smile to see them sparkle." He takes them out of the box, and gently places them in Lizzie's ears. "You remind me so much of her. She had blue eyes like you. So soft and innocent; I would like for you to have them, Lizzie..."

He snaps the lever back over the post of the second earring, and sits back to admire her in them.

"Oh Raymond, Thank you...but I couldn't." as she feels them gleefully dangling from her earlobes. Red tilts and shakes his head, and smiles. "I insist...They look even more stunning on you."

"What happened to her, Red?" She asks as she sees him getting choked up.

The corner of his mouth twitches as he answers her. "It was about ten years ago. We were in Chicago. She was a dancer. She was so beautiful, and so talented..." He puts one leg up on the bed, resting his arms on his knee, and stroking her arm with his forefinger. He smiles as he talks about her like that, but then his face goes cold and he drops his head. "...but one night I came to pick her up in her dressing room, at the Palace theatre; only to find her on the floor beaten, raped, and her throat cut. It wasn't a robbery. They had left her purse, money, and all her jewelry, including her earrings. The cops suspected a mob hit; sending me a message. To this day, I still don't know who killed her. I haven't been to Chicago since."

"Is that why you wanted me to come with you?"

"Maybe; I don't know."

"Raymond; you gave me a shoulder to cry on when I came in; let me give you mine."

"It's been ten years, Lizzie. I don't have any more tears to shed. I just want to feel the love again....a second chance..." Raymond pauses when he sees how the earrings complement her beautiful eyes; making him truly smile for the first time in years.

.....but if anyone can give me a second chance it's you."

Elizabeth sits up, looking him directly in the eyes "We'll find them; Raymond...together."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz delicately reaches behind her back and unhooks her bra. Red's eyes gleam with delight; with delight; following her hands as she slowly slowly slips the straps off her shoulders to reveals her soft inviting breasts to him. to him. "Oh yes... Lizzie...." Red leans in to kiss her soft, moist lips; squeezing a breast in each hand. soft, moist; squeezing a breast in each hand. He then takes the warm dangling piece of lingerie from her fingers; and tosses it over his shoulder, and wrapping his strong arms around her; Raymond lays her head back down onto his oversized pillow.

Passionately locking lips with her; he glides his hands softly down her ribs. Raymond inconspicuously pulls the zipper down on the back of Liz's skirt, and plants a slow line of kisses all down her torso; pulling her skirt down off her long and slender legs as he rises to his feet at the foot of the bed.

He stands up tall before her. Liz smiles as she watches him undo his belt and lets his trousers drop to the floor. As he steps out of them; Raymond then kneels to kiss her feet, and crawling his tongue and lips up the inside her calves and thighs. His mouth inhaling the sweet essence of her desire as he moves farther up between her legs; until hovers directly over her sweet pink Fruit of the Looms. Red gently kisses and licks the soft pink cotton; closing his eyes and running his hot, wet tongue against the nap of the fabric until he tastes her sweet arousal saturate through the inconvenient layer that separates him from her most intimate area.

She moans louder and squirms, as he insists on dragging it out until her pants are clearly soaked through. It happens so fast, Liz doesn't even notice when he hooks his fingers around the elastic, and swiftly pulls them off, and forces his swirling tongue inside of her lovely folds. Not until she opens her eyes, and sees him fully pleasuring her in between her legs; clutching the wet wad of pink fabric in his hand; does she realize that he had pull off such a flawless conjuring trick.

"Oh Raymond.... you're good." He chuckles in his glory; the vibration of his voice sending a wild rush up her spine. "Oh Raymond....Please, do that again." he accommodates by humming a chorus from "Sophisticated Lady" and uttering the words which sounds like "Oh Lizzie, I love you...."

Red caresses her thighs, and kisses her furry mound ascending with light kisses back up her body. He pays special attention around her breasts and nipples; lingering there as he twirls his tongue around, and lightly sucking on those firm and sensitive nubs.

Elizabeth strokes his hair, and runs her hands down his back while he is kissing her on the neck, and attempts to slide off his boxers, but her arms aren't quite long enough. Red smiles slyly, and decides to move up to kiss her eyes and forehead; giving Liz plenty of reach to easily slide them off of his firm rounded buttocks. She cannot help but run her hands all over, and squeeze his lovely cheeks, as he pulls his boxers off his legs the rest of the way, throwing them on the floor.

He teases the length of her feminine slit with his hardened member; moving his hips to manipulate her swollen folds; wriggling the head of his hardened penis between her swollen wet lips. She relaxes her legs; opening up for him as he lowers himself, sliding in smoothly, thrusting himself deep into her. Lizzie lifts her legs and wraps them around his ribs; inviting him to penetrate her deeply.

She rests her arms around his neck looks blissfully into his comforting green eyes, to fully enjoy what he's doing to her. He moves in long slow strokes extending the sensation as long as he can. Elizabeth wraps her hands around his head, giving him a long sensual kiss. Wrapping her tongue around his, Red reciprocates and takes control seducing her tongue with his own.

She moans and gasps for air as he escalates his movements. His heat intensifies with every calculated stroke. Lizzie leans her head back into the pillow as he arches his back; moaning and smiling with desire and passion; she interlocks her fingers together with his. "Oh...Raymond...Yes...Yes...Please...!"

Raymond delights in the arousal in her eyes, and he smiles with a hint of nostalgia seeing the light catch the movement of the diamonds swinging from her ears as he thrusts making him thrust harder, and faster to see them sparkle.  
"Oh Lizzie...you're so beautiful. Those earrings were made for you, doll."

"Oh Raymond...Raymond...Yes!" Elizabeth cries out and grips him tighter, as they reach a climatic orgasm. "Oh God; Lizzie....."he moans as he releases a flood of hot inside of her. "Ohh.....Raymond!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red drops onto his back, and Elizabeth rolls over to cling to him, and bask in the afterglow. She wraps her leg around his, and curls her arms loosely around his neck; nuzzling her cheek against his and closing her eyes. She has almost completely forgotten about the grief of her brother's death, but not about the great challenges that lay ahead of them.

"Oh...Raymond;....I'm scared." She says with a slight whimper.

"Shh....It's ok; doll. I'm not going to hurt you." He whispers as he places a kiss on her temple.

"No; Red....l mean Chicago. I've never done this before. I don't know if I can handle it." She says as she thinks out loud; laying her head on his shoulder. "Maybe Ness was right I'm not cut out for field work."

Red is upset by the mere mention of her former boss' name. "Ness gets off on taking advantage of you....because you are a beautiful strong-willed broad; and he's not used to being challenged by a dame. He underestimates you, Lizzie."

"You made a deal with Ness...didn't you?" Liz asks him.

"He made a deal with me." She turns to look into his comforting green eyes. "Lizzie...You're my dame now,... and I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You will be my gun moll, and you will be armed, and I will never leave your side. I promise, I'm going to make you famous Lizzie."

His words, and easy smile gives her the confidence that she needs. "We can do this....you and I." She says looking Red directly in the eye.

Raymond looks at her with a devilish smile "Oh Lizzie....We're going to make a great team."


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning; Liz wakes up feeling rested but a little groggy. "I need a cup of coffee." She thinks to herself, as she rolls onto her back and rubs her eyes, trying to get her bearings. She realizes that she is alone and naked in Reddington's bed. Liz sits up, and reaches up to stretch her arms. The white sheet dropping to her lap. Her breasts laid bare to the world, just as he walks in; smartly dressed in a fine black Italian made three piece suit, minus the jacket; donning his fedora, and carrying a small plate with a slice of bacon, a slice of buttered toast, and a cup of coffee. "Good morning, Lizzie."

Embarrassed; she pulls the sheet up to cover herself. "No Lizzie, please. I want to see you in the daylight." Her heart races as he comes closer and sets her breakfast down on the nightstand. His mind goes crazy when he sees that she is still wearing the earrings like he'd hoped. He looks at her like a hungry dom as he curls his fingers around a wad of the fabric and pulls it away from her naked body, and tosses it onto the floor. Red's heart is pounding in his chest. He walks over to the gigantic floor to ceiling windows, and opens up the curtains to let in the morning sun. Lizzie takes a sip of the coffee, and catches a glimpse of herself sitting there in the large mirror hanging over the dresser. She sees herself sitting up tall, and unapologetically; wearing nothing at all but those immaculate diamond stud earrings. She feels almost a sense of freedom and pride, and almost happy. She takes another sip of joe, and bites off a piece of bacon, as she watches her mobster boyfriend tidy up the room before returning to her side.

Raymond sits down beside, and watches her as she sips her coffee, and smiles. He moves in closer and places his large hand on her breast, while kissing the nape of her neck. She is quickly overcome, and sets down her coffee cup before she spills it. Liz tilts her head to the side to give him more of her neck, and reaches back to place her hand on his crotch, as a signal for him to continue. He places his hand on her other breast massaging them both in a circular motion; the nubs of her firming nipples stimulating the sensitive center of his palms. She feels him getting harder beneath her pleasuring hand. She sighs and says halfheartedly, "I think I'm late for work, Raymond. Ness will be furious."

Red whispers in her ear, "Who's your daddy, Elizabeth....Me or Ness?"

"You are, Raymond."

"You no longer work for him. You belong to me, now...and our train doesn't leave until this afternoon."

She is jolted to reality. "Chicago!" A wash of fear just came over her face, and she takes her hand away. "Raymond....are we actually going to Chicago?"

"Lizzie; you need answers about your brother's death, and you showed me last night that I need closure for Carla's murder. I'm not running from it anymore. You and I are taking them down...." he takes her hand and places it back on his crotch, and takes a cigar out of his vest pocket, lights and blows a plume into the air. "Now...let me take a look at you, doll."

"Oh...what the hell." Elizabeth stands up and moves around before him, attempting to find her clothes. Liz finds her high heel pumps under the chair and slips them on. Red watches her playfully stroll around the room. Gloating with his cigar in his teeth; "Oh Lizzie, you're so beautiful." He smiles, and rolls his tongue over his lips, as his bulge grows. His cock aching to be released, as he gestures her to come closer; and placing his hands on her hips and drawing her in. "Oh; my beautiful Lizzie..."

He holds the burning cigar between his fingers as he gently spreads her ruby lips. Raymond leans down to lightly lick her...tease her...and tickle her clit with the tip of his tongue. She grabs onto his shoulders to brace herself, as he squeezes her buttocks; making her weak in the knees. "Oh Raymond, please...."

"Turn around, Lizzie." Raymond spins her around. Liz anxiously bites her lower lip as she hears the rasping sound of his zipper being pulled. His cock springs right up out of his pants, like an idiot eager jack-in-a-box when lid pops open. She h hears the rustling of fabric as he pulls his pants down to his ankles. Raymond...?"

"Oh Lizzie, my sweet innocent doll. Come sit down on papa's lap." She closes her eyes and smiles as she feels his hands encompass, and encourage her to sit; lowering her onto his hard erect cock. She is hot and ready; squeezing him within her hot, slippery walls. He embraces her; kissing along her spine; inhaling her desire. He contracts his abs; lifting his hips to thrust her while running his hands all over her skin. Liz grips hold of his thighs, and arches her back, digging her head into his shoulder. She comes quickly; with gasps and moans while Raymond kisses her succulent neck. He removes his fedora, placing it on her head.

"Oh;...Raymond you're so bad...I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No..." she says as he smiles blissfully; leaning back on his hands to give her a couple more good thrusts sending them both over the edge. They howl together; like two wolves in heat; as they share a beautiful quick orgasm together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just then; the phone sitting on the dresser rings wildly. "Aw Hell..." Red says as he takes his hat, and pulls his pants back up. "Lizzie, that wardrobe is full of ladies clothing belonging to my aunt. She was about your size. Pick out something nice for yourself." He points to a large stand alone wardrobe in the corner, as he answer the obnoxiously ringing phone. "Hello.....Yes?...."

Elizabeth nods and opens the large engraved wooden doors. She silently fingers through several hanging garments most of them seeming quite modern for a woman of what would be his aunt's age, but she won't push it. He's been incredibly kind to her. She quickly finds a drawer with several pairs of undergarments in it. She quickly slips on a pair, while half-listening to his one-sided conversation.

"What do want?....What!...." Liz is startled at his sudden loud tone. His eyes move rapidly looking at the ceiling. "....No, they couldn't have...." She then begins to look concerned when she sees him drop his head and closing his eyes, as if to hold his temper. "No, she's here, she's safe..." Now she is worried, and is anxious to find out what is going on.

He then looks up and points to a striped summer weight angora sweater. She pulls it out, along with a pair of black women's trousers, and holds them up together for his approval. Red smiles and nods. She lays them over her arm, and grabs a couple accessories, and takes them behind the dressing screen to change.

"....Yes it's all arranged....No...Sorry; Eliot. It's too late. We have a deal....She works for me now....You can't protect her....so be it....And a nice day to you, too. Give a kiss to Edna for me. ClIck!" Red hangs the receiver onto the cradle, placing the phone back onto the dresser . He lets out a deep sigh of frustration.

"Red; what's wrong?" He hears her voice behind him, coming from behind the screen.

"That was Ness." he says while leaning on the dresser in thought and talks into the mirror.

Lizzie comes out from behind the screen. "Well..I'm ready. What do you think?" She stands there wearing the tight black and white angora sweater; hugging her hourglass figure; and black trouser slacks that make her legs appear a mile longer. She also a added a little black beret and a little red silk scarf; wrapping it around her neck, and knotting it on the side. Raymond turns around to see her. "Wow!...You look good enough to be my dame." His eyes lighting up with pride. "That is stunning, Lizzie."

"What did Ness have to say?" She asks.

"Do you have a gun?"

"It's in my apartment. We'll have to stop by before we leave, so I can pick up a few things."

"Your apartment was torched last night..." Red hesitantly tells her curtly.

"What?...How bad?" Her eyes open wide with horror.

"Nothing could be saved, I'm afraid. Ness said the entire apartment is a loss." He says regretfully.

"...When he didn't hear from you, he had feared the worst." Red says unable to face her. His eye begins to twitch. "His men found my handkerchief in the ashes. He was relieved to hear that you are safe."

Lizzie turns and stands in front of the window; looking out at the island of Manhattan; her eyes beginning to tear up. "I should go back to see how bad the damage is."

"No!...I'm sorry Elizabeth, but I can't allow you go back. Ness' men will be waiting for you. It's too dangerous."

"What do you mean 'waiting for me'? What's going on, Red?"

Red doesn't answer her. He walks over to the dresser again, opening the top drawer, reaches into another drawer, and pulls out a revolver; a Colt .38 special. He checks to see if it's loaded, and reaches behind his back to slip it into his holster in his pants. Then he pulls out another revolver; a Colt .357 Magnum. He checks it, and wipes it off; holding it by the barrel, he passes it to her "Here...Take this. Be careful it's loaded."

Lizzie takes the gun, and looks at it. It's slightly larger than what she's used to, but it will be fine. "Thank you, Raymond."

"It's time to go. Don't worry about packing a bag, I'll buy you whatever you need along the way. We need to catch a train. Dembe....!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eagerly waiting at Grand Central Terminal; Red and Liz stand together in a shadowy area of the platform. Raymond leans up against one of the iron support beams, keeping a low profile a watchful eyes for the law over her shoulder, while resting his hand on her hip, keeping her close.

"Elizabeth; I need to ask you something and I need you to answer me honestly..." he asks her quietly, as she looks at him nervously, and bites her lip. "Is 'Keen' your real name?"

"No...It's not. My brother and I were adopted. My maiden name is 'Scott'."

"You were married." He says curiously as he keeps scanning over her shoulder.

"Umm... yes briefly. Why do you ask?" Unprepared for that, Liz is beginning to wonder where he's going with this.

"Tell me about him." He asks appearing relaxed and almost entranced by her voice.

"It was a long time ago. A little over ten years ago; I think. I was very young, and naive. I don't know why I even married him. I didn't love him. He kind of forced it on me. We were only married about two weeks when they found his car, burning on the side of the road. He had run his car off the road. His body was too burnt to be identified...." his nostrils flare, and his eyes darken, with a hint of either rage or jealousy; she can't tell; and begin to look around nervously. "What's wrong Raymond?"

Red pulls her close to him, and spontaneously gives her a long deep passionate kiss. Liz sinks into the moment, enjoying every second of it. As their lips are locked in an intense moment of passion; Detective Ressler and about five other G-men run by not noticing them; just as the famous "20th Century Limited" express train rolls into the station.

The sound screeching metal and clouds of steam, creating a smoke screen to board the train undetected. "Let's go."He says grabbing her hand and disappearing into the fog before it subsides.

As they settle into a cabin; Red removes his hat and closes the curtains.

What was that all about?

"Ness has turned up a name...Tom Keen is alive, and as far as the Feds are concerned they consider you still his wife, and as an accomplice in helping him fake his death."

"Are you saying Tom faked his death?...Why?"

"So he could work under the radar of the Feds. The won't look for a dead man, but they are looking for you. You're now a wanted fugitive; Lizzie...just like me." He says with a half smirk.

"...by association. Do you think Tom is the one behind all this in Chicago?" Her voice becomes quick, but steady.

"Yes...and I believe he killed your brother, and if I'm right...he won't stop until he kills you." He says in a solemn tone.

Feeling angry, scared, and betrayed. Liz sinks into the first class train seat, lowers her head and lets out a small whimper. Raymond sits down beside her, next to the window, and encourages her to rest her head on his broad shoulder. He gives her kiss on her brow, and places his arm around her back; caressing her palm with his thumb. "Shhh...My doll. You're going to be ok, Lizzie. I will always have your back."

"Help me destroy him, Raymond." She says softly.

Red smiles and says, "That's my specialty....now get some rest. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

As the train whistle blows, and the massive metal behemoth pulls out of Grand Central Station; the deep rolling chugs of the train's wheels are a soothing contrast to the last 16 hours. Elizabeth clings to Red a little tighter as the trains gentle rocking eases them both to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

As the Streamliner train travels along the Railroads' famed "Water Level Route"; Red has Dembe bring them something from the dining car. Two porterhouse steaks with broccoli and baked potatoes, and a bottle of fine Rothschild Bordeaux.

"1923...an excellent year." Raymond opens up the bottle and pours a glass of the heavy bodied Claret for Elizabeth and for himself. Just passing Buffalo, and Niagara Falls; Red opens up the curtain to take in the view of Lake Erie after dinner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red rests his arm around Elizabeth and holds her close. He stares somewhere out the window, over the lake. Liz looks up at him. He seems so far away. "Raymond...Raymond...are you alright?" She asks gently.

"Yeah." He sighs in a weak voice.

"Raymond; look at me..." She takes her hand, and turns his head to look at her. Liz sees a lot of pain in his eyes...a lot of unhealed wounds are about to be torn open for both of them. "Raymond; it's been ten years. I know how difficult this must be for you. It is for me too. Ricky's body isn't even cold yet..." She interlocks her fingers with his. "...but Raymond, you're not doing this alone. I'm here." She shakes her head to jiggle her earrings, making him smile a little bit.

"When they found her; they had said that she had been raped. When the Coroner's report came back it said that she was also two months pregnant." He says as he voices his thoughts.

"I'm so sorry, Raymond." She says with a tear in her eye.

"It wasn't mine. I had been in Memphis at that time for a few high stakes poker games in my Beale street club; playing against a powerful tobacco plantation owner from Atlanta; a cruel stubborn man who had brought one of his slaves with him. He refused to give them up after it had been abolished. The young man was thin, malnourished, branded and too scared to speak. I couldn't bear to watch the fear in the young man's eyes. So, I played his master into a corner; forcing him to wager the boy. I caught him cheating on a single pair of Jacks. I beat him with a Full House. I left him on the receiving end of my gun, and took the boy, and fed him good food, gave him nice clothes, and taught him how to read and write. He has remained a loyal and dear friend since. His name is Dembe...Dembe Zumba."

"Raymond you did a wonderful thing. You bought him his freedom, and gave him a real shot....a second chance at life."

I don't know what kind of trouble she had gotten herself into, but I can't help to think that if I had been there that l could have protected her." He continues.

"You shouldn't feel guilty about that, Raymond. Those were her decisions to make. She betrayed you. That's not your fault. There is no way that you could have known. You saved Dembe, and who knows how many others from a horrible life. Even if you had been there; there's no guarantee that you could have saved her from that fate..."

Liz continues on herself. "...My brother Ricky had had a gambling problem since our parents split. I was working to pay for his habit. I even got a better job so I could send him more, but that didn't save him; the only thing I truly regret is marrying Tom...I shouldn't have been so naive.

"Lizzie. Tom is a Con-man, and a Chameleon. There is no way, unless you knew what you were looking for, that you would've seen him coming."

"If he killed my brother, I will tear him apart."

"I take it you don't love him anymore." He says with a small chuckle.

"All I feel is hate...He forced me into it. I don't even remember how...." she sighs, and thinks out loud, "....I don't think I ever really did love him...I love you..." Lizzie realizes what she has just blurted out. She looks nervously at him, hoping that she hasn't lost his respect for her.

Red is silent for a moment; trying to read her eyes. "Elizabeth; after Carla died; my heart was broken. I never thought I would see the happiness again...to feel the love again...you showed me that even a cold-hearted Mobster like me can get a second chance at love. Lizzie...after this job in Chicago job is done...I want you to be my dame for good....I love you too, doll. Will you marry me, Lizzie?"

"Yes, Raymond ...Yes, I will marry you." They look at each other and smile, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Now kiss me big fella before I change my mind."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red chuckles and takes Elizabeth into his strong embrace. He kisses her with such deep conviction and passion. His tongue glides smoothly into her mouth, entwining her soft tongue, and savoring her kiss for as long as he can. He unzips her pants, and slips his hand underneath her underwear touching her...feeling her in a way he hadn't felt her before....not to remember....not to forget, but just to pleasure her.

His hand explores Lizzie's most intimate area. She delights in the warmth of his touch. Raymond lifts up her sweater, and pulls out one of her juicy breasts from her bra, and wraps his warm mouth around her firm pink nipple. He kisses every inch of her breasts as he unhooks her brazier, and lays her down onto the seat. Her face looks so serene as he pulls down her pants and undoes his own.

"Lizzie, my love. We don't have much time before we reach Chicago. This may be our last chance. Allow me to make love to you one last time before we arrive." as he pulls off pants and underwear, and eagerly climbs between her legs. He takes up his cock in his hand.

"Oh Raymond....my future husband...allow me...now...to please you, my love." She sits up, and gently takes his member in her hands, it turns rock hard at the first sense of her touch. His eyes light up, and he begins to moan as she massages his long staff in her hands. His smile just gleams and he groans as she uses pulling strokes on him. He hangs on to the hand rail, as Liz moves faster in a flowing swirling motion. "Oh..Oh...Lizzie...Let me go, please."

She releases her grip on him, and Red pounces on her like a tiger; inserting his primed cock deep into her, and he thrust her immediately. Her moans are squashed by his passionate kisses. Elizabeth feels for something to brace herself, but finds his shoulders the most solid. "Oh Raymond....Raymond....."

"Who's your daddy; Lizzie?" He heaves as he kisses her neck.

"You are, Red...you are...!" She squeals , as she feels him coming close to climaxing. Liz grabs hold of his waist as Red arches his back, giving her a few big final thrusts before releasing his magic into her. Their screams and loud moans are masked by the train's blaring horn as they pass through Gary, Indiana.

They both lose their balance on the bench, and roll onto the the floor; laughing like children. Red smiles and stretches his arms, while Elizabeth tries to straighten herself up before they arrive in Chicago in twenty minutes. "Oh; Raymond that was fun. We need to hurry; we're almost there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After nearly Fifteen and a half hours; the shiny steel Express train finally arrives at Chicago's Union Station on LaSalle street. Red and Lizzie gather up whatever they came with; which isn't much: A couple small bags that Dembe had packed for them; and depart the train together. Lizzie hooks her arm around Raymond's elbow, and gives him a strained smile, showing him that her bravery isn't coming easily; but he smiles back at her and pats her hand. "You'll do fine kid....Your not a cop tonight, Lizzie....Your a criminal."

Liz takes a breath and relaxes a bit. Smiles more confidently knowing he's got her back.As they stroll down the platform her face all of sudden turns cold, as if she has seen a ghost. "Ness!?!" She gasps tightening her grip on Red's arm.

"Hello Elizabeth, hello Raymond. Right on time. You could set your watch to that train." Ness says coolly. Raymond stays silent and unfazed.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asks.

"I have business with your boyfriend here. So you best be running along toots, before you get hurt."

"She stays with me, Eliot or there's no deal." Red says firmly.

"You forget Reddington this is my town. You may own New York City, but Chicago is where I rule. The only reason you're here is for information, and because you have eyes and ears where even we can't reach, but under no condition are you to hunt Tommy "Two-face" Keen down. You just leave him for us."

"Is our room at the Palmer House ready? It's been a long trip, and we really need to freshen up." Red says smugly.

"I know who killed your wife, Reddington; and I know why. The same scum that killed your brother is coming after you, Elizabeth....He's a very dangerous man."

"So am I." Red says defiantly.

"I'm going with him, Ness." Liz says bravely.

"If you think that the two of you can take this guy out yourselves, you're just as crazy as he is; Elizabeth. Reddington always surrounds himself with only the best of the best. Why he would choose some sweet innocent unexperienced young broad like you is a mystery to me. You've never even shot a gun before."

"Stop it Ness! She's perfectly capable of handling yourself and you know it."

"Oh,..I see how it is. I can see it very clearly now. You want to know why I never put her out in the field; because she too sweet a dame to get mixed up with the likes of our world, Reddington..."

"...Well, let me give you one piece of advice; Raymond. Don't let this one out of your sight. I don't want to be pulling those earrings off another dead dame of yours."


	8. Chapter 8

Ness has a car waiting for them to arrive; his five-passenger 1929 Oldsmobile Viking Sedan that the he and his Untouchables use in their prohibition raids. He helps Elizabeth into the backseat gets into the front driver’s seat. They have a couple minutes alone as Red and Mr. Zuma get their baggage into the trunk. Ness turns back to take a look at her. She is sitting there silent with her head down, and her hands folded in her lap, shaking like a leaf. He realizes that he might have been a little hard on her.

"You know, kid; all talk aside. I like you, and I hate seeing a nice young thing get hurt. I'm sorry it came out the way it did, but the truth is Reddington in a dangerous man, and this is dangerous hand he's dealing. I hate to see you get too involved." Ness talks compassionately trying to make amends.

"I'm already deeper involved than you know, Mr. Ness." She says in a low voice.

"Yeah, I saw how he defended you. I just hope he loves you enough not to get you killed." A hint of jealousy is detected in his voice.

"Tom Keen was my husband." She says with a heavy heart, glaring at him with terror in her eyes as Ness looks speechless. Just then Dembe opens the door, climbing into the front seat, next to Ness, while Red opens the back door, and climbs into the back. Completely unaware of their conversation; Red sits down beside her and grips Liz’s hand as a sign of reinforcement to ease her nerves and says, "Alright, Eliot; what do you have for me?”

Ness pulls out a pack of "Chesterfields" and holds the pack to offer them both cigarette. They both turn him down, but Ness insists. Then Raymond notices a rolled up piece of paper in the pack and pulls it out. Red then in curls it, and opens it up to see that it is a signed receipt for $328 from Angelo's Flowers. "Where did you get this?" He asks.

Ness puts shifts the car into drive, continues to speak through the rear view mirror, rocking his head nonchalantly. “Does the name Pat O'Day mean anything to you?" Ness asks in a matter-of-fact.

"Should it?" Red responds dryly.

"Used to drive a truck for Burch." Ness' monotone voice continues.

"So we're dealing with The North Side. Go on." Reddington’s mind works putting the pieces together to plan his attack.

Ness continues on "Word is; it was his Poker game that got drilled, that your brother was killed in."

"Are you saying that my brother owed dough to Moran?" Elizabeth asks.

"It's not quite that simple sister. See, after St. Valentines Day all the bosses, don't attend their own games, so they send someone to attend for them..." Ness explains. "...I’m sorry Elizabeth, but it seems that your brother was just an unfortunate decoy."

"Maybe not...I believe her brother's murder was meant as a warning." Red contradicts.

"For who?" Liz says. Her eyes moving rapidly between both of them.

"For me..." Red says unsurprised. Lizzie dropping her jaw in astonishment. He explains "When a boss wants someone taken care of; they send a Florist's receipt to one of their hitmen, signing the name of the intended target. I prefer to take care of my own business; but in a pinch; I've 'sent flowers' a couple times....Where did you find this?

"CPD found it when they searched your brother's apartment, Liz...after he was killed...” He turns to Red, “...He must have known you were squealing to the Fed's."

"They couldn't have, Ness." She interjects. "It happened when he was still in the Aquarium. I got the call about my brother as soon as I got home. That's when I called you, Mr. Ness...."

"...and after I turned you down, you went to him. Well it was a good thing you did, sister; because Keen's men had your apartment torched."

"You said you know who killed my wife...well this receipt confirms that we all looking for the same man." Red says without doubt.

"How are you so sure, Raymond? What's so significant about that receipt?" She asks him.

"This is a receipt for the flowers I bought for my wife's funeral. This is my signature." He says directly, as he points to his scribble at the bottom of the piece of paper.

The black Olds Sedan pulls up to the Palmer House Hotel, and Red grips the door handle. Ness gets his attention by saying "Hey Raymond..." he stops and looks back.

"...I know this is a personal fight for both of you...and it would clearly be a waste of time to try and talk you out of it, but I'm not going to let you without giving you a fighting chance....Raymond, there are two violin cases in the back...take them with you."

"Thanks, Eliot. We'll need them." Red smiles, opening the car door and climbs out, and turning to extend a hand to assist Elizabeth; who is looking somewhat confused while Reddington pulls two worn leather violin cases out of the trunk, and sets them down onto the sidewalk to remove the other luggage. He winks at at Liz as he hands her one of the cases by the handle, and gives Ness a wave before driving off. She hooks her arm around his elbow, and with bags in hand Dembe follows behind entering into the glitzy five-star hotel together, figuring that she will catch on soon.

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The hotel lobby is very opulent, with gold filigree around the walls an ceiling, the giant chandelier is the largest Elizabeth has ever seen, there isn’t one female guest without a light mink stole over her shoulders, and a toy dog under their arm. Liz begins to feel a little out of place, and says “Raymond, I’m not sure I really belong here.

Just then; the hotel’s concierge comes out flashing a pearl white smile, and welcoming them with open arms. “Mr. Reddington so nice to see you again. We figured you wouldn’t be traveling alone, so we prepared our best suite for you and your guest.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as they get settled into their room; Red starts planning his attack plan. He gets on the phone to gather his gang together, while Elizabeth takes a minute to freshen up in the beautiful, luxurious bathroom that looked bigger than her apartment.

The walls are a deep red, with ivory colored tiles on the floor and halfway up the walls. A giant mirror hangs over the white marble sink, graced with golden faucets. The bathtub is larger than she has ever seen, as she turns on the water, and holds her hand beneath the stream of warm water trickling through her fingers; she considers asking Raymond to join her in a nice relaxing bath.

As she listens; Lizzie can hear that Red is still on the phone. "Oh well...he's probably not in the mood." She then hears him hang up. "I wouldn't hurt ask him." she thinks. Liz pops her head out. She sees him standing with his jacket and vest off; sipping on a glass of scotch. "Oh Raymond, would you care to join me in here?" She says as sweet as she can. Raymond smiles and sets down his glass.

He closes the door behind them, and places his hands on her shoulders and pulls her close to kiss her tenderly. He reaches down to pull her sweater off over her head. Liz steps back and reaches back to undo her bra, and places her hand to cover her breasts as she lowers the straps and drops it onto the floor.

Raymond purses his lips, and smiles as she crosses her arms in front of her. He unbuttons his shirt and pulls off his t-shirt, tossing them on the floor. Red pulls her close to engage her in another passionate kiss. Lizzie removes her hands from her breasts, and wraps her arms around his neck. He pulls her body against his; squeezing her full breasts against his muscular chest; their nipples rubbing together as he raises her up onto her toes to kiss her deeper. Just as Lizzie reaches lowers her hand down to undo his pants...."Crash!"

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The sound of shattering glass, and a car speeding off grab their attention as they see a pineapple grenade drop beside them onto the tile floor.

"Get Down!!!" Red grabs Lizzie and jumps into the tub with her; which has filled up with water by now; and holds her underneath to shield her from the blast just as the bomb goes off.

"Boom!!!"

A low rumble can heard, as they both brace for impact, staying submerged beneath the water until the threat is over.

"Are you alright, Lizzie?" Red asks as lifts her up out of the water, and moves a wet strand of her hair out of her face.

"Yes..." she says as she catches her breath. "What happened?" She looks around to see the cracked tiles, charred walls, and broken glass. Red climbs out of the tub and an lifts Elizabeth out of the murky water, and carries her over the debris strewn floor, out of the bathroom into the bedroom of their suite, and lays her down onto the bed.

Luckily; the damages was only confined to the bathroom. The rest of their suite wasn't affected.

"Are you alright, Raymond?" She asks him as he sits down beside her. "A few cuts and bruises, but nothing that won't heal...let me get you a robe."

Red goes walks over to the closet, Elizabeth the burns, and cuts on his back that he protected her from. "Raymond; your back..." She says in a worried voice.

"I'm fine, Lizzie. I've been through worse." He says in a surprisingly relaxed tone. Raymond opens the closet door; and as he pulls out a couple of folded hotel bathrobes; Liz sees two monogrammed garment bags from Saks Fifth Avenue hanging in there. He closes the door and returns, "Here... put this on. My guess is Ness will be here any minute." holding the robe open for her to slip into. The luxurious warm terry fabric feels so soft on her bare breasts.

A loud knock comes at the door. It's Ness; naturally, plus a couple of the hotel staff. "What's going on, Reddington?...What happened?...You two ok?"

"Yeah we're alright. Just spicing things up, Eliot. That girl is a firecracker." Red says jokingly. Ness gives him a dirty look, and looks at Elizabeth and asks her again, "You alright, Elizabeth?"

"Yes sir. He shielded me from the blast." She insists.

"Mr. Reddington, we have another suite all ready for you and your companion, sir." The hotel manager says humbly.

"Thank you, Neil." Red slips him a Benjamin, and pours himself a glass of Scotch.

Ness says curiously "You know...there is a little thing called 'Prohibition' going on..."

Red glares at him taking a sip. "Your point?.." he says smugly and tilts his head. "Care for a glass, Eliot?" graciously offering him a glass.

"Thank you, no. I'm on duty." Agent Ness turned him down, as Red knew he would.

"Well; if you'll excuse us; Eliot. My fiancée and I are very tired. We have a big day tomorrow." Red grabs the two garment bags and throws them over his shoulder. "Come Elizabeth...and don't forget your violin." Red and Lizzie gather their things and transfer to the other suite.

Ness watches them as they depart the room. "Fiancée; huh...I hope she knows what she's doing."


	9. Chapter 9

Morning in Chicago; as the sun rises above Lake Michigan. There's a light tap at the door. Red opens it quietly so as not to wake Elizabeth from such a lovely slumber. It's Room Service bringing them two lovely american breakfasts; consisting of bacon, eggs, two small bowls of Corn Flakes with milk and fresh cut banana slices, buttered toast with a dish of strawberry preserves, two small glasses of orange juice, a small pot of coffee for the two of them, and the morning newspaper. He signals the boy to be quiet and set the tray down on the table. Red tips him, and the boy leaves their suite without rousing her.

Red lights himself a cigar, and sits down next to her on the bed. He takes a bite of toast, and opens up the Chicago Tribune. Smelling the scent of his cigar; Elizabeth begins to wake. "Umm; Raymond..."

"Good Morning, doll. Would you like some breakfast?" Red says softly.

"Oh, yes please. I'm starving" she says eagerly as she stretches out her arms.

Raymond gets up, and brings the tray over, sets it on the bed, and pours her a cup of steaming hot coffee. She takes a long sip and sets it along with the orange juice onto the night stand so they won't spill. Red takes her spoon and feeds her a spoon of Cereal, and gives her a warm open mouth kiss, swiping the banana slice from her mouth with his tongue. She acts surprised. He chuckles smugly as she attempts the same. While she kisses him, Raymond opens up her robe, and takes the small spoon of strawberry preserves and drops it onto her breast. Liz gasps. "Lie down, Lizzie."

Liz takes a sip of orange juice to wash down the cereal, and lies down flat on the mattress. He takes the cold metal spoon and circles her nipples with the jam, then swirls his tongue to lick her clean.

"Oh Raymond... you dog." She smiles as his tongue laps up all the preserves that he "accidentally" spilt. Red opens up her robe a little further and drops some around her navel. She lets out a giggle when his tongue tickles her belly button as he laps up the fruity delight. He finds almost full strawberry in the bowl, and uses it to caress her thighs and slip it between her juicy pink lips. As he is busy caressing her intimate area; he doesn't notice that she is gently unknotting his robe. Liz is pleased to see that he is not wearing anything underneath.

Lizzie takes her fingers and dips them into the cold preserves and smears it all the way down the length of his penis, and swirls it all around his head. That cool surprise makes him stiffen up and moan. "Ooh Elizabeth, that feels devilishly divine...please Lizzie, lick me clean as I lick you, my doll." Red climbs over on his knees to straddle her as he continues lick her. Liz swirls her tongue around his head, savoring the first drops of pre-cum mixing with sweet strawberry treat. Wrapping her lips around his firm dangling member; she slowly takes him in.

Raymond lowers his hips to give her more. She moans whimsically and raises up, while he gently thrusts into her. She grips his cheeks, and sucks him deeper in, as a reaction to him darting his tongue, and wriggling it deep inside of her. His moans give her a deep vibrating sensation while he's pleasuring her. She continues to twirl her tongue softly up and down his length until her mouth begins to get sore, and then they continue to caress each other with their hands for a little while. Even though neither of them go as far as to bring each other to orgasm; neither of them seem to mind. "Oh Lizzie...that was wonderful, doll."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They finish their breakfast in bed, and take turns in the bath, as the other stands guard. Red straightens his tie in front of the mirror, as he waits for Elizabeth to finish up. Just then there is a loud bang at the door.

Red answers the door Ness storms in yelling "Reddington, turn on the radio!" Red runs over turns the knob on the Silvertone sitting against the wall. A fast talking nasal man's voice comes loudly through the large speakers.

"...and now The News:...Raymond 'Red' Reddington; New York City's most nefarious mobster; known to most in the underground crime world as the 'Concierge of Crime'; along with his young lady companion were both nearly killed last night, when someone tossed a grenade bomb through one the windows of the Palmer House Hotel. The explosion had left their luxury suite in ruins. Red Reddington was once a major player in Chicago's cri..." ClIck!

"I don't need to hear anymore." Ness says.

"Well; that should get his attention." Red says as he puts on his jacket.

"Now hold on there Reddington...are you telling me that you staged that stunt last night just to make the papers?" Agent Ness begins to see that Red's unconventional methods are going to get the poor girl killed.

Elizabeth comes out of the bathroom looking pretty as a picture; dressed in an ivory sweater, a little grey pillbox hat, black pencil skirt and heels. "What's going on, Fellas?"

"Morning Elizabeth. You do know this man is crazy, don't you?" Ness says.

"Lizzie, my doll. I have the perfect thing to go with that outfit." Red says quickly to change the subject.

Red goes over to the closet and pulls out a sable mink stole, and hurries back. He places it gently around her shoulders. He lightly strokes the fur; feeling the softness as he catches the scent of her perfume. She closes her eyes, and slowly turns to face him when she feels his warm, soothing breath on her neck; whispering softly "Thank you, Raymond." He gives her as sweet kiss on the tip of her nose.

"I guess I'm a stubborn woman, Mr. Ness. I appreciate your concern, but Raymond and I have a job to do. It's a dangerous job, and I trust him." As if the stole had magical powers; Liz all of a sudden has gains the confidence to take on the role as Red's gun moll. She takes out her revolver out of her purse and checks to make sure it's loaded, before slipping back in her purse.

"Bullets ain't got no sense, Elizabeth. They can't tell a hood from a cop. Let us take Keen out." Ness still tries to talk her out of it.

"You're just a super Boy Scout ain't you. I'm sorry; but this one is personal; Mr. Ness...." Agent Ness turns to leave, when Lizzie adds "one more thing...your wrong...my father taught me how to shoot a gun when I was a little girl."

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Just as Ness was about to leave, a knock at the door. Ness is closest, so he opens the door. It's Neil, the hotel manager. "Mr. Reddington...someone left these at the front desk for you."

He holds them up Ness takes them up. They are two playing cards: a King of Spades and a Queen of Hearts...both with a bullet hole in the center.

"And now it begins." Red says as he purses his lips.

"Thank you, Neil. We'll take it from here." Ness takes the cards from him and gives him a Nickel. He frowns a bit, but accepts it, and Agent Ness closes the door. He holds them up between two fingers "Don't they usually do this with Aces?"

"He obviously considers himself the Ace, but in my games Spades have always been Wild." Red comes to take a closer look at the cards. He flips over the cards and sees some writing on the back. "151 W. Randolph St. 9 o'clock..." Red feels his heart sink.

"The Palace Theatre, huh..? That's where you're wife was killed wasn't it?...Aw the sick bastard...." Red stands silent staring at the cards, as Ness continues. "... that's where it all began..."

"...and that is where it ends..." Elizabeth says as she walks over them "...Raymond, this is our chance to finish him once and for all."

"No!..." Red shouts. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. I can't let you do this. I can't lose you. I love you." Red is just short of breaking out in tears.

For the first time; Ness sees a side of this hardened criminal mastermind that he'd never thought he see; a face of a truly frightened man.

"Raymond...I'm not letting you go in there alone. I'm just as much apart of this as you are....He was my husband. No, Raymond. I'm coming with you. I love you, too...and if we have to we'll die together." Lizzie then gives Red a long tender kiss.

As he hears those words of hers, and watches what appears to be a last kiss goodbye; Ness vows to himself that he's not going to let that happen.


	10. Chapter 10

After spending most of the early afternoon on the phone with his associates to find out as much as he could about Tommy "Two-face" Keen. He cannot take watching Liz pace back and forth in the same spot any longer. "Sweetheart, you're gonna wear a hole in the carpet."

"I'm not so nervous, but this waiting is killing me. Why couldn't he have made the showdown at high noon like everyone else." She says making herself a nervous wreck.

"This is not the Old West, Lizzie. This is Chicago..." Red chuckles "...be happy he didn't make the meeting at midnight." That really doesn't make Liz feel any better.  
She crosses her arms and turns her head the other way biting her lip, "Damn you, Tom."

"Lizzie come here." He says calmly. She sighs and begrudgingly walks over. Red gestures her to sit on his knee, and she does. He gives her a sweet kiss. His hand slips underneath her sweater, and cups her breast. The warmth of his touch calms her seemingly fragile nerves. "Come on Lizzie; doll, show me a smile." He says as he lightly massages her breasts in his hand. The corners of mouth slowly start to turn up. "That's my girl. Now..we have time to kill. How would you like me to take you out for dinner and dancing?"

"But Raymond, I'm not dressed for dinner." She says.

Red smiles, and gets up out of his chair, and goes into the closet. He partially unzips one of the garment bags and pulls out something; a scarlet red satin dress with dark red sequins along the sweetheart neckline and all along the low plunge back. The embellishments scattering down the train.

"Oh Raymond, it's beautiful." She gasps. Lizzie has never seen anything like it.

"It will look even better on you...Go try it on" as he drapes it so the light can catch the sparkle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few short minutes later; Liz enters the room; still kind of unsure of herself in something so glamorous. She looks up, and notices that Raymond has also changed his attire. "Well...what do you think?"

Red turns around and takes a look at her. "Wow!..." His eyes just gleam as his eyes travel all over her. "You look beautiful, Lizzie."

"What are you wearing?" Lizzie says as her eyes can't help but do the same.

"A Tuxedo..." He says as he cocks his head and smiles. "What;...too much?"

"Oh Raymond, you look dressed to kill." She smiles coquettishly.

"So do you...Shall we?" Red drapes her mink stole over her shoulders, grabs his black fedora atop his head, tilts the brim, and raises his elbow for her to take his arm.

Downstairs; Red's man, Dembe was waiting for them in a hired car. He tilts his hat "You look lovely tonight, Elizabeth."

"Thank you. You're looking mighty smart, yourself." She tells the handsomely dressed black man, in his finely made black pinstriped suite, black shirt, and white tie. His shoes are a fine Italian leather. Her guess is Raymond likes everyone around him to look their best.

"Thank you, ma'am....Everything is ready, Raymond." He tells them quietly as they climb into the backseat of the black Ford Sedan.

"Thank you, Dembe." Red says as he slams the car door shut.

"What does he mean 'ready', Raymond?" Liz asks uneasily.

He smiles and lightly pats her hand. "Relax, doll...You'll see soon enough."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raymond has decided to take Elizabeth out for dinner at one of his associates clubs. Red and Liz enjoy a nice Prime Rib dinner at the Club DeLisa on the South Side where Count Basie and his Orchestra are playing.

She feels a little out of place, not overdressed, but noticing that the club is filled with a mostly the higher class colored clientele. Then Raymond mentions " I bought Dembe a stake in this place a couple of years ago. The entertainment here is top notch....a real hidden gem. Al comes here a lot." The mention of Al Capone's name runs a chill down her spine.

"Dance with me Lizzie, please." He says gently leaning casually back in his chair. The man is clearly back in his element.

"I'm not sure of this is quite the time." Lizzie is still a bit nervous. Her eyes move back and forth rapidly. She hasn't danced in so long.

"Humor me....please." He reaches over the table to touch her hand. His touch makes her somehow forget her nerves, and she nods her head.

Raymond takes Lizzie's hand and leads her to the dance floor. Her hands are shaking like a leaf, as he takes hold of her. The young and lovely voice of Ella Fitzgerald joins The Count on stage, as Red and Lizzie dance slowly to a version of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo."

Elizabeth stumbles a bit at first until Red says, "Lizzie, I know this must be very difficult for you...but we can't both lead."

"Sorry, I haven't done this in a long time." Lizzie blushes out of her embarrassment.

Red gets back on course by saying, "Okay; tell me what you see. Is there anyone you recognize?"

Elizabeth scans the room over his shoulder, " I see Dembe by the door...I see a couple is Capone's men I recognize from Ness' files...." she keeps looking as Red turns her to a different angle."...Patrick O'Day, that's the man who held the Poker game that my brother was killed in. He's a North Sider. What's he doing down here."

"I called them all here, Lizzie..." He whispers in her ear. "I want to know what we're walking into tonight. Come...I want you to meet them."He says calmly.

"Raymond...No. They're dangerous mobsters, hardened criminals, cold-blooded murderers." She says hysterically as Raymond looks at her blankly.

"So am I...and for tonight....so are you. Just be yourself, but whatever you do; if you value your life and everyone else's in this club;...Do not mention Ness." Red tells her, and she understands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red takes Lizzie downstairs, and down a long dimly lit hallway and towards a closed door on the left. He knocks three times and they hear a voice shout "Who is it?"

"June bug" Red says loudly. Liz raises her eyebrows.

The door is flung open, a thick plume of smoke escapes the room, getting caught in Lizzie's throat, making her cough a bit. A tall man stands there with a big fat Stogie in his teeth. "Ah Reddington; you didn't tell me you were bringin' a dame."

"She's with me." He takes Lizzie's hand and pushes his way in. Inside the small hazy room stands a large round Poker table, and sitting around it were the same men she saw upstairs plus two unmistakable faces that Liz thought she would never see in the same room together let alone sharing a bottle of Bourbon together.

"Al, George what a surprise. Nice to see the two of you on speaking terms again." Red says as he greets Chicago's two most powerful, and dangerous men.

"We ain't. What's all this about, Reddington?...Who's the dame?" says one of the impatient men.

"Ahh yes...Elizabeth Keen, please meet my friends. This is Mr. George Clarence Moran, also known as 'Bugs'...."

"Charmed to meet you my dear." he takes and kisses Liz on the hand.

"....and Mr. Alphonse Gabriel Capone. Many call him 'Big Al'."

"Ah,...Hey doll." Al looks her over, and grins, chewing on his cigar. "Hey Red, I could use her in one of my shows. What do ya say, doll?"

"She's not for sale. She belongs to me. Besides she more than your blood pressure can take, Al."

"Red, how did you...?" She is truly stunned.

"Don't ask, doll." Red then comes to the point.

"Gentleman, We don't have much time. I brought you all here to discuss an issue that affects all of us. There's a Torpedo out there; a freelance Mobster that's working infiltrate our organizations by stirring up trouble for us. He's started a turf war, turning us against each other, only to claim what's left as his own."

"Did Ness put you up to this? I heard you got busted by the Gs in New York, and that you went squealin' to the Feds." Bugs tells Red in a skeptical tone.

"The FBI works for me now. Ness is not the one you should be concerned with. Tommy 'Two-face' Keen; a chameleon and a master in blending in and can assume any role to get what he wants. He was the one who killed Weiss and fired the first shot on St. Valentines Day." Red's words were beginning to strike a chord them.

"What's her story? Big Al asks.

"He was my husband. He forced me into marriage, and then faked his death. Then last week he shot up Mr. O'Day's Poker game and he killed my brother; Ricky Scott.

"Aw, that's too bad, Miss Lizzie. Nice kid. He played for me at some of my games I would always spot him a little extra . He had got a dame in trouble and he was working to make good with her. He was trying to make enough to get married." Mr. Moran says with a heavy heart, as Mr. O'Day nods in agreement. "And you Red?...how does New York's 'Concierge of Crime' fit into all of this?"

"He killed my wife, Carla. She was a dancer at the Palace.

"I remember that dame...." Mr. Capone recalls; waving his cigar around as he spoke. "...she worked for me. Lovely dame, quite a firecracker. All the johns loved her. She always wore those beautiful earr...." Al catches sight of her Lizzie's earrings. "Oh; I see crystal now. I'm sorry Red. What d'ya need?"

"Backup. This guy is brazen enough to send me flowers with my own receipt for my wife's funeral; I can't predict what he'll do. You in?" Red asks them.

"When's it going down?" Bugs asks.

"Nine o'clock, tonight at the Palace; just me and her." Red says as Liz walks closer to him and grips his arm; placing her chin on his shoulder.

Bugs nods his head, and gives a smile "Well, it's kinda short notice, but I'll see how many of my boys I can get together. You Al?"

"I don't like seeing any dame get hurt, especially one with a face as pretty as yours, doll. My men will be there."


	11. Chapter 11

Red, Liz, and Dembe are sitting silently; waiting in the car. They had hoped they would have had enough time to return to the hotel and change, but they have run short on time; so here they are; parked just a few hundred yards from the Palace Theatre on Randolph. Red takes a look at his watch. "It's getting close to Nine. Wait here." He gets out and gets the two violin cases out of the trunk, and gets back into backseat. He lays one down on Lizzie's lap, and unbuckles the other one. She figures she should too.

Elizabeth lifts up the lid of the case to discover that it's in fact not a violin cases at all, but inside are the disassembled parts of a Thompson submachine gun in a formed cloth padding. Liz isn't quite sure how to assemble it, is flabbergasted and almost intimated watching how fast and easy Red had his assembled, and loaded.

"Everything just snaps together.....Here...you take the frame and the stock and you fit that part into that little notch and push it hard together until it clicks...." Click! Lizzie follows his instructions as he guides her through it. "Now take the grip handle and slide it onto that rail until it locks....Good...Now take the magazine and force it up in there...hard. Excellent. Last; watch your fingers; pull back hard on the slide and let it go to load the chamber." Click! "Good girl." Red in delighted that she is a fast learner. Dembe is amused watching their little lesson in the rear view mirror.

"....Alright; now here's the safety. Just flip it when you're ready, and squeeze it as tight as you can under your arm like this..." he demonstrates by holding the stock under his arm like a rolled newspaper "...because the recoil is a bitch, and it kicks like a bull."

Lizzie takes a deep breath, and looks up and him and smiles, "Ok...I'm ready."

Raymond leans over and gives her a kiss. "It's now or never, doll."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red assists Elizabeth out of the black sedan and they head towards the Palace Theatre. "It's quiet." She says. Red looks around and notices the street is deserted, as if they know that something bad is about to go down. "Yes Elizabeth; it's too quiet."

All of a sudden a black sedan comes racing down Randolph Street. Dembe yells "Get Down!" and they all take cover just as a flurry of machine gun fire paints a line across the store fronts, and shattering all the windows of the car in front of them.

After the drive-by gunfire passes; the trio continues on inside the darkened theater. Elizabeth thinks about what she is going to say to Tom after all that's happened. "Raymond looks so confident..." she thinks to herself "...but he can't possibly be that calm...returning to the scene of the crime, after all these years to confront the man who killed the woman he loved. He's hiding it so well. I guess that's how he's survives in this dangerous world of his. Not show any fear. For his sake I can't either."

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As they walk down one the aisles towards the stage Red's mind is flooded with thoughts and scenarios of how this night will end. He tries to focus on the of how to get Lizzie out of that beautiful red dress he had bought for her, and the one that is still hanging in the garment bag at the hotel. "I will see my doll in that dress when we will walk down a different aisle together." He thinks as he detaches from the fear that they may not make it out of this alive. "I am going to make love to Lizzie tonight...after we get out of here." He affirms to himself, as he takes her hand and helps her up the steps that lead up to the stage.

Dembe is in the lighting booth and flips on one spotlight for them onto the stage for them. He has a birds-eye view of the entire theater from there, so that he can spot for trouble, and warn them beforehand. Red and Lizzie are center stage, keeping aware of their surroundings, standing with their guns held tight at their side literally waiting for the " next shoe to drop."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Although it had seemed like an hour, they only have to wait a couple of minutes until they hear a stage door slam. Lizzie's heart just jumped into her throat. Red keeps his gun drawn at the direction of the sound. Liz stands to cover his back. She hears the footsteps getting closer in the darkness. Her thumb shakes as it rests on the safety.

The curtain rustles. A significant amount of dust rains down from the top of the massive red velvet curtains. A tall, lighter built man comes out of the shadows. He was wearing a dark pinstripe suit, and wide brimmed fedora on his head. A short stubble beard, and crazed light blue eyes. He appeared unarmed, but way too confident, with his hands in his pockets.

"Tom..." Elizabeth's eyes widen, and her knees shake, as she sees her husband for the first time in ten years. Red turns to face him, guns drawn, but that doesn't seem to faze him.

"Elizabeth, my sweet little ball and chain. How have you been, doll?"

She doesn't answer him. She loves it when Raymond calls her "doll", but it makes her furious to hear him say it.

"Are you Reddington's new little whore?" Tom says with a snide grin taunting them. "I see you've inherited her earrings. I bet you don't have the stamina that she had. Carla Reddington was one of the best. They all wanted her; because she always kept her legs open, and her mouth shut. That little tramp wanted it all the time, and she didn't care from who."

Elizabeth doesn't have to look at him to see his eyes darken with rage. She tries to simmer him down by changing the subject, "Tom...You killed my brother....you tried to kill me. I want to know why."

"I didn't kill your brother, he killed himself the moment he knocked up one of Capone's doxies, he worked for Moran. What do you expect, babe? I just took him to the Southside to show him a good time...." Liz tries not to show emotion, but she's finding it harder to keep her cool; as well.

"You, doll...you're just baggage; a loose end I need tie up. I've got Moran and Capone running errands for me in Chicago, and I can't wait to do business in the 'Big Apple', but when I heard you went to work for Ness....Well, I couldn't risk you squealing to the Feds about me..."

"Don't flatter yourself, Tom. She hadn't thought about you since the accident..." Raymond breaks his silence. "...Now, why did call us here?"

"Oh, so you have told him about me. Is he your sugar daddy, now?" Tom gloats knowing that he's getting under Red's and Lizzie's skin.

Lizzie has everything she can do, not to gouge Tom's eyes out, she flips the safety off.

"You're dead to me, Tom...I never loved you. You forced me to marry you. Then you faked your own death...If you expect me to take you back; forget it. What the hell do you want, Tom?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Now Liz..." Tom backs up with a cocky grin and pulls a switchblade knife out of his pocket. 'Flick!' Tom walks around with an eerie confidence, putting them both on high alert that he's up to something.

"...Red...this is the same knife that cut your sweet little wife's throat ending her life..." He walks over to the stage's hemp rigging, and rests his hand on the ropes. Red's eye twitches and he subtly looks up, and gently places his free hand on Liz's waist, and gives her a little pull.

Tom continues "...and this will be the same knife that will end yours, and your little girlfriend's there." With that; he slices the rope; causing a giant sandbag to free fall down onto the stage nearly crushing them.

Red pulls Lizzie back in the nick of time, as the 200 pound sandbag crashes onto the stage. The massive curtain falls to the stage, from the impact of the crash to reveal about a dozen of Keen's armed men positioned in the rafters, causing a chain reaction of gunfire to erupt in the theatre.

Tom has disappeared somewhere in the chaos ; just as Red and Liz take cover behind the broken sandbag, and return fire; Red is hit, and falls onto his side grabbing his leg.

"Raymond!..." Lizzie screams. She grabs him by the collar and finds the strength to drag him, to get him some cover in the orchestra pit, as she struggles to defend him by firing her weapon one-handed at the same time.

Just as all hope seems lost; it seems the cavalry has arrived to back them up just when they need them most. High up in the darkened balconies Moran's North Side Gang fight alongside Capone's South Side Gang to take down a common enemy. Liz keeps Red's head down as she tends to his wound.

"Keep pressure on in, Raymond." She looks around for some thing to treat him with. Elizabeth spots Tom's switchblade near the edge of the of the stage. She is able to grab it as the bullets fly over her head. She cuts open one of the chair's seat cushions for a strip of fabric, and pulls out some stuffing. By another stroke of a luck, she feels that one of the the musicians had strapped a Whiskey flask under the chair seat. "Eureka! Still some in there." She returns to Raymond, with the things she collected and asks him for a match.

"What are you doing, Lizzie? You need to find a way out of here. I'll be fine."

"Raymond, I'm not leaving you. We either walk out together or not at all." Liz unscrews the cap on the flask, and pours a little on the cotton to clean his wound. He grits his teeth, but doesn't flinch. "Light a match for me, please. I have alcohol on my hands. It's not deep. I'm going to remove the bullet, and patch you up."

Red strikes a match, and holds it up for her while she heats up the knife. "Look at you, doll. You're a real Florence Nightingale. Where did you learn to do this?" He asks with a calm, curious smile.

"My father taught me survival skills...here, drink this...not all of it." She hands him the flask, and he takes a swig, and hands it back to her. Liz takes a quick swig herself before screwing the cap back on. He chuckles "Did your father teach you that?"

Lizzie shrugs matter-of-factly "Steadies the hand. Don't move." Elizabeth gently digs the heated knife into Red's calf muscle and quickly digs out the bullet put a little more of the home distilled alcohol on it, and takes a couple strips of the chair seat velvet, and wraps it tightly around his wounds. "There you go. Now...where were we." Lizzie hands him his Tommy gun, and takes up hers. "Let's finish this."


	12. Chapter 12

Oddly calm beneath the intense storm of gunfire; Elizabeth helps Raymond up onto one of the chairs in the orchestra pit, where they have taken a temporary cover. Red checks the weight of his mag, and doesn't look pleased. He then checks hers too, and frowns. They keep their heads low, so as not to get hit by any ricochets or hot brass. Liz takes a position at the edge of the stage, to assess the situation. "Half of Keen's men are down, and at the moment their aim is still concentrated at the balconies..." she tells him. but that would change if they fires a shot. "...but where's Tom?" She whispers.

"He must be waiting for us to chase him down." He says quietly as he scoots his chair closer to the edge, for more cover, and to be close to her.

An eerie feeling comes over them as they hear the gunfire from above slow to a stop. "They must have run out of ammunition...and have taken cover...or worse." She worries. "Stay still, and keep your head down." Red tells her.

The six remaining of Keen's men feel confident enough to come down from their perches on the rafters, and cautiously move in closer. Their footsteps can be heard on the wooden stage floor coming ever closer to the pair hiding in the pit.

Red whispers, "Lizzie, hold your fire until they get close enough, and get ready to sweep them." She nods, and they sit poised, ready to fire. Red and Liz only have the rounds in their mags, so they need to make them count. She could swear that they would find them just by how loud her heart was thumping.

As Keen's men come together forming a row right in front of them on the stage; like a chorus line; standing all cocky and holding their guns down at their sides, they look around and down finding Red and Liz huddled below. One smirks before he draws. Red calls out "Now!" and they both let loose with what little firepower they have left; but as their chambers run empty, the men still continue to fall. A second wave of rapid gunfire coming from the back of the theatre.

"It's Ness!" Says one of men from the balconies as Capone's and Moran's gangs they scatter. Federal Agent Ness has come to their aid, and he brought his team of "Untouchables" with him; all armed to the teeth, and doing what they do best; taking down hoodlums in a full-on attack. Over a dozen men in grey suits and fedoras come marching towards them sweeping their Federal "Thompsons" Chicago Style across the stage, dropping Keen's thugs one by one. The bodies shaking, as they are riddled with bullets and fall.

As Ness and his men descend ever closer; the impacting sound of this warlike scene, along with seeing the bodies falling in front of her, is becoming too much for poor Elizabeth. The growing, echoing noise from all the high-powered machine guns in the small acoustical theatre space is having her feel like her eardrums are about to blow, making her hysterical. She buries her head into Raymond's shoulder. He covers her ears; holding her close to protect her, and shield her from the hot, flying brass shell casings that are flying everywhere. Red gently gives Liz little kisses on her nose and forehead, trying to calm her down. "Shh....It's ok Lizzie...it's ok....It's almost over, doll."

The whole thing is over within a few seconds. Ness then directs his Agents to search the premises as he looks over into the pit, and at them. "You two ok?" he asks.

Red gives him a thumbs up, although they look like they could be better. Liz lifts her head trying to compose herself, but is still shaken. She looks at Ness; still with tears in her eyes, and her ears aching; she demands to know "Where's Tom?"

"Gone." Ness says, frustrated. "We lost him...Come on let's get you two outta here...Is he ok?" He notices Reddington is having some difficulty getting to his feet.

Elizabeth throws Red's arm over her shoulder and tries to lift him. "He was hit in the leg. He's fine, just help me up with him." Ness jumps into the pit, and lends her a hand; throwing Red's other arm over his shoulder, and they both help him up to his feet. "Can you walk?" He asks.

"Yes, just help me up the steps." Red hobbles at first to get his footing, but he is able to pretty much walk on his own, by favoring that leg. He has an extremely high pain threshold, and thanks to Lizzie's quick action; it didn't become infected. "Eliot, I need to get to a phone."

"There's one in the lobby..." Ness informs him, "...over there."

Elizabeth stays close to him just in case he needs to take some weight off his injured leg. Red sits down on the stool in the wooden phone booth, and rings the phone to dial the operator. "Yes, operator; Blue Island 4-5-9 please..."

"One moment please." says a nasally voice on the other end. Red pulls out his revolver and opens it up to check if it's loaded while he waits, and returns it to his holster. "Yeah, it's me...Say; thanks a bunch. Mae can expect something nice arriving soon....Yeah....Well, he's too uptight. He really needs to get laid, or find a nice catholic broad...yeah...well maybe this will make up for the seven he lost on Valentines Day..." are takes out a cigarette and lights it. "...Uh-hmm...I'll send your boys a couple cases. What? Naw just a paper cut. She's a doll..." he looks up at her and smiles, and pulls out a handkerchief for her to fix her makeup. Her mascara is all over her cheeks from when she started to cry. She fixes it in the small Art Deco mirror on the wall. It's a miracle through all that, that she still has her purse. The revolver that Red gave her is still in there. She decides to check it as well, and then reapply her red lipstick as He continues on the phone, "...Yeah...Where is he?...No...No he's ours. We'll take care of him....Where?...ten minutes. Alright...Oh, she will. Thanks, Al. Ciao!"

"She will what?" Liz asks.

"Let's go, Lizzie."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red and Elizabeth arrive in a cab near a garage on Dickens and Clark street in Lincoln Park. The cab driver nervously says "Are you sure this is where you want to go? I mean wouldn't you two rather see a Cabaret or something'?"

"No, this is the place. 2122 North Clark Street. You can drop us off here. We'll walk the rest of the way. Thanks buddy. Here keep the change..." Red hands the cabbie a hundred dollar bill, and exits the car with Elizabeth.

"Thank you, sir." The man is elated. He had never seen a hundred dollar bill before.

"You never saw us." Red tells him.

"No sir. I'd never seen you. Thank you sir." He says as he drives away.

Elizabeth stares at the fateful place. She had read about what happened there last year, and seen the gruesome pictures. Raymond comes behind her, and lightly brushes her arm, making her jump. "Lizzie what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." She says. "Is this where I think it is?"

"Yes. You're not afraid of ghosts, are you?" Red asks her calmly.

"No, I don't believe in ghosts." She tells him.

"We'll you should. A vengeful spirit can be quite helpful in times like this."

Elizabeth rolls her eyes at him and tries to get serious, "What happened here, Raymond?" She asks as they walk down the the sidewalk towards warehouse.

"Well, the papers said four of Capone's men who lured Moran's Gang to this Garage and lined them all up facing the back wall, and shot them all in the back..." Red tells her casually as they were taking a stroll through the park.

"That's cowardice. To shoot them in the back. Thats doesn't sound like him to hire cowards." She says.

"I agree. I was with Al that weekend in Miami. He never mentioned a thing. He was not on speaking terms with Fred Burke, or any of the former Rats, but Fred was always broke, and he would have easily sold his soul for a cup of coffee...."

"To Tom." Liz says regretfully.

"I believe so. I lost a cousin in the massacre. He worked for Bugs as a mechanic, and from what George told me; your brother would have been there too, but he decided to see his girlfriend that morning." Red drops his head in lament.

"He killed him anyway..." the more she hears, the more Liz hates the man.

"Here we are. Lizzie, don't do anything I wouldn't do." Red says in a slightly mischievous tone, that he knows she picked up, as he opens the door for her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red and Liz enter the dark empty building that was once a nice little business; but even on a steamy August night; the building feels cold, and the smell of death still lingers in the air, as if the bodies of those poor men are lying where they fell 18 months ago.

They enter the back room where the horrific scene occurred. They find a man tied to a chair in the center of the room, head slumped, beaten, bruised and bloody illuminated by a single dim lightbulb overhead. A familiar and welcoming scent of a fine cigar coming from the dark corner as Elizabeth enters the room. "Evening, Nightingale..."

Liz turns around to see "Big Al" standing in the corner with his arms crossed smiling with a big cigar out of his teeth. "Good Evening, Mr. Capone."

"Call me Al, doll; everybody else does...even him." He nods to Moran standing in the in the shadows opposite him.

"Good Evening, Gentleman. Sorry we're late. We ran into a bit of car trouble."

"Don't worry about it, Red. We just started without ya."

"Nice work." Red pulls a chair up in front of their prisoner, and sits down to rest his leg. He pulls out his .38 and rests it on his knee. Elizabeth stands close to him as a show of solidarity to him and her new friends.

"My, my..my...Tommy 'Two-face' Keen...big time Chicago Mobster. You're nothing better than a petty thief. Starting wars to feed on the carnage. That only makes you a leech, a parasite that needs to be exterminated..." Red says as he raises his revolver, but Elizabeth stops him.

"Raymond wait...please. This is mine." She walks over to him, as makes him lift his head to look at her. His face is all bloodied and bruised from George and Al already having a go at him. She raises her hand as slaps him hard. "Bastard!"...

"Ahh...You bitch.." Tom says in a weak panting voice.

"I don't know, Tom; from where I'm sitting you look like the bitch to me." Lizzie circles his chair slowly, like an angry lioness, as the men watch her seductively. Her face is cold and all business. She opens her purse, and pulls out his knife that she saved from the theatre. "Click!"

"This knife, Tom...." she flips the knife in her hand gripping it by the handle, blade down, and leans down in front of him; giving him a view of what he's missing, placing her hand on his knee. Raymond's mouth begins to water as he watches her curvy hips in front of him as she continues; "...this is for Ricky..." stabbing him in the thigh, he screams in pain "...and Carla, and for forcing me into marriage, shaming me with your name."

"Oh, Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn." Red chuckles. Al adds "You should see my wife when I'm late for dinner."

Elizabeth pulls out the bloody knife and walks around the back of his chair, looking at each of her three compatriots as she cuts him free.

"Are you letting me go, doll?" Her eyes become enflamed to hear him call her that. Lizzie grabs a hold of his collar and tie, and brings him to his feet.

"Up against the wall. Get your hands up." She demands. A little wobbly, he stands facing the same wall that he killed seven of Bugs' men and one other. Red gets to his feet. "You haven't got the guts, Liz."

"Maybe not,...but unlike you I have loyalty, and honor...and I am not a coward. Turn around and face me, Tom!"

Unsteadily; he turns around to face the four of them will their guns drawn. Reddington stands beside Lizzie with his .38 special and his arm wrapped around her waist. Liz has pulled her .357 out of her purse, and Bugs and Al stand on either side of them with a shotgun and Thompson collectively.

"Oh; and by the way Tom...Yes, Reddington is my 'Daddy', and I've agreed to be his wife. Goodbye; Tom."

And as those last words left her lips; they all open fire. The short reign of the vainglorious Tommy "Two-face" Keen meets a violent, and dramatic end. No one knows who actually fires the shot that kills him, but they all have a reason for firing it. He's gone. Red and Lizzie are safe, and Capone and Moran can go about their business honestly, without his self serving interventions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ness and his men pull up just as the firing stops. "Big Al" and "Bugs" disappear out the backdoor. It has started to rain, and their footsteps are being cloaked by the sound of thunder. Eliot Ness had gone on a hunch that there was unfinished business to be taken care of in this old warehouse, and his hunch has turned out to be right. He finds Elizabeth in Red's arms as he comforts her and shields her eyes from the gruesome sight.

"After what happened to your car at the theater, I figured you two might need a ride." He says as he looks down at what's left of the body of Tommy Keen. "Elizabeth, I hope that you didn't partake in this gruesome scene...could turn out pretty bad for you if it turns out that you fired the shot that killed him." Liz bites her bottom lip, but does not answer him. Red holds her a little tighter. Ness than remembers her inexperience, and tries to ease her mind, reassuring her, "... but I wouldn't worry about it. There's so much lead in him it would be nearly impossible to tell which shot killed him...." her worried look turns into a slight smile of relief. "...Go on take a seat in the car. I'll drive you back to the hotel, in a few minutes."

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As they sit in the back of Ness' car, waiting to be driven back. The rain seems to be falling heavier. Raymond looks into her eyes, and reaches over to take those earrings off of her.

"What are you doing Raymond?" Lizzie asks with a puzzled look on her face.

"I had thought my wife's memory would be enough to keep me going tonight, but it wasn't. It was you..." he takes them off of her ears, and looks at them sadly in his hand.

"But you love those earrings." Lizzie says as she sees the sad look in his eyes.

"I loved my wife...these reminded me of her.... "he smiles with a hint of regret. "...they really pleased me to see her happy in them...but these earrings have also pleased every man in Cook County; Tom was right about that, as much as I didn't want to believe it; and I don't want to remember her like that...Your ears deserve better...You deserve better, Lizzie." Red says, as he rolls down the window and tosses what once was his most precious diamond earrings out into the rain...into the gutter.

"Oh, Raymond. You didn't have to do that." Elizabeth tells him sadly.

"I don't need them anymore. All I want is you." He says looking deep into her eyes, he finally feels closure. Red takes her into his arms and kisses her long and deep, as if for the first time.

Raymond is about about to place his hand on her breast, when they hear the car door open, and Ness gets into the driver's seat shaking the rain off his jacket, and saying,"It's been a long day. Let's get you kids back to the hotel."

Elizabeth rests her head on Red's shoulder. Ness notices they have both nodded off in each other's arms. He smiles to himself and remembers when him and Edna would dose off in her parents car, and for the first time he actually feels happy for Elizabeth, thinking to himself, "She must really love him to go through all that she had today."

Ness pulls up to the Palmer House. The abrupt stop roused them from their short nap. "Here we are. See you both in the morning." Red nods and helps Lizzie out of the car. Ness says "Oh..and before I forget...Good work today. I'm proud of you, Liz. I take back what I said."

"Thank you, Mr. Ness. Goodnight sir." Elizabeth smiles and takes Red's arm, and help him inside, and up to their cozy suite.


	13. Chapter 13

Raymond takes off his jacket and unbuttons his vest. He throws them both on the chair, and walks over to turn on the radio, adjusting the dial to something soft and slow. He smiles and nods satisfactorily to the sound of "Sentimental Mood", while he loosens up his bow tie, and undoes his collar. Red turns and looks lovingly into the eyes of his fiancé; and pulls her in close, with one finger, by the cleavage of her dress; for a slow romantic dance. "We're free, doll. It's just you and me, now."

"Oh Raymond, I love you. I don't know how...but we did it." She says as she rests her head on his shoulder. Red adoringly strokes her hair as they sway together to the sultry sounds of Duke Ellington and his Orchestra playing through the Silvertone's mellow speakers. Raymond gives Lizzie a twirl, and pulls her in for a long and tender kiss. "Hmm...Lizzie, I do adore the scent of gun powder, but I can still smell it in your hair..." he whispers lightly, "We never did get to enjoy our relaxing bath together...What do you say, doll?"

"I'd like that very much, Raymond..." Elizabeth smiles and then runs her hand down his leg, which he is still favoring. "...and I can also redress your wound properly." He puts his arm around her gives her sweet kiss on the forehead. "Alright; Nightingale...."

"...Come tend to your lover's wounds, and that I may will heal yours." Red says in a dramatic fashion as he leads her playfully into the bathroom. She helps him sit himself down at the edge of the tub while she goes to fetch a few things. While he waits; he turns on the faucet, and runs his hand under the water, adjusting the hot and cold to bring it up to temperature. He watches the water trickling through his fingers; reflecting on the events of the day, and thinks about her, how scared, but also how brave she became...

Elizabeth returns armed with some first aid items, and lays them all out on the clean tile floor. Raymond's temperature begins to rise as he watches Lizzie remove his shoes and socks, and lovingly massage his feet. "You were wonderful tonight, Lizzie." She looks up at him with a little shy smile. "Thank you, Raymond...You helped me through it."

"Kiss me, Elizabeth." She stands up and leans in to kiss him. He grabs the back of her neck and gives her a deep open mouth kiss. She delights in the sensation of his soft tongue around hers. Her knees become weak to his touch. She runs her fingers down the buttons of his shirt, and rests her hand upon his warm bulge. Keeping his eyes closed he lightly pulls back and whispers "I couldn't have done it without you."

Liz slowly begins undoing his trousers, and seductively pulling them off of him. She gives him a naughty smile and curls her fingers around the elastic of his boxers, and slides them off of him too. Red's smile grows as she gently plants light kisses down the length of his shaft. He lets off a beautiful deep moan as she swirls the tip of her tongue around his sensitive head before continuing down, to kiss down his legs, until she gets to the soiled bandage wrapped around his left calf.

Liz kneels down, and tends to his war injury like a military nurse; kind of. Being careful so as not to reopen his still fragile wound; she carefully removes the strips of velvet and stuffing, that she had used as a makeshift bandage while they were under fire. Elizabeth looks pleased as she takes a look at it under the better light. "It's already beginning to heal up, and there's no infection; thank goodness. Your leg will be as good as new in no time."

"You should have become a nurse, Lizzie." Raymond says as he watches her with love, and admiration. She blushes a bit, as she smiles sweetly back at him, as she takes a soft towel, moistening it with warm water, and washes some of the dried blood off his calf. "I actually don't like the sight of blood." She answers.

"Ah..Nobody does, Elizabeth.." It stings when she applies some Dakin's Solution on to disinfect his open wound. Liz then does a wet to dry dressing; placing some Vaseline soaked gauze on his wound; and then wrapping his calf in a clean white bandage on top of that, and pins it securely with a safety pin. "There...good as new."

"Thank you, doll..." Raymond tells her as she gets up off her knees and places her first aid tools on the vanity by the sink. Raymond then rises to his feet, "Come here, Lizzie."

Elizabeth returns to him, and runs her hands along the fabric of his white shirt; taking her time unbuttoning it, and sliding it off his back. He pulls off his shirt off underneath. Standing there completely naked in front of her; Lizzie's heart skips a beat as she parks her hands upon his warm hairy chest; coming in closer to him to place her lips softly onto his. He escalates the kiss deeper by drawing her closer by her arms, and running his warm wet hands down her back.

"Turn around, Lizzie...my angel. I've been looking forward to getting you out of this dress all evening." She turns to face the mirror, and Red slowly lowers the zipper that runs all the way down her lower back, and partially down her bum. Elizabeth feels a cool tingling up her spine as his fingertips lightly brush against her skin. His temperature rises as he slips his fingers underneath the straps of her dress; pulling them down off her shoulders, revealing her full luscious breasts in the mirror in front of them. He releases his grip on the dress letting it blatantly drop to the floor. The weight of it partially pulls down her underwear off one hip revealing a bit of her curly brown hair. He is already completely naked, but he takes his time and pulls them back up for now; making her wait a little longer while he licks her behind the ear, making her swoon and arch her back. "Oh, Raymond...touch me, daddy."

Raymond takes Lizzie's arms and wraps them behind his neck; as he encapsulates her nearly naked body with his own; caressing her soft, full breasts in his hands, while kissing her neck, and licking her more behind the ear. Lizzie moans so lusciously as he gently tugs her earlobe in his teeth, while his hands travel downward into her panties caressing her mound sliding his trembling long finger between her swollen lips, making her hot and wet in his grasp.

"Lizzie...bend over, doll...take off your underwear, and grab your ankles..." As much as he wants to kneel before her, pleasure her on his knees; he's afraid that he wouldn't be able to stand back up. Lizzie complies to his request as he sits back down to rest his leg. She stands directly in front of him facing the mirror, and slowly bends down at the waist pulling her soft white panties off her hips and down her sensually long legs, to the floor; gracing him with the most amazing view. She steps out of them, and wraps her fingers around her ankles.

Red's lips moisten as he admires her sweet offering in front of him. He holds onto her so she doesn't lose her balance as he kisses and licks the backs of her thighs and her soft curved derrière. He spreads her swollen lips with his fingers, and uses his tongue to tease her on each side of her clit. "Mmmm, Ray...?" She moans as he swirls his tongue around and darts his tongue inside of her, tasting her sweet honey on his lips. He squeezes her thighs in his hands as his tongue and lips perform such a lovely assault on her feminine genitalia. Looking between her legs, Liz watches his member rise and grow "Ohh..Raymond...you devil."

Red then takes his finger; stroking her gently, inserting it into her slippery opening to test her readiness for him and to explore her deepest, most intimate area. "Oh Lizzie, my love. You're quite an amazing dame. I'm gonna take such good care of you, doll." He says as Liz responds quickly to his fingering fore play that he mingles another finger between her welcoming slippery walls. She moans deeper and moves to encourage him to dive a little deeper. "Oh yes Raymond... please.. Come...I want you deep inside of me."

Red smiles mischievously as he retreats his fingers, and pulls himself up by holding on to her hips. He grimaces a bit as he first places his weight onto his injured leg, but he quickly recovers as he embraces her and enters her deep with his hard and longing cock...longing for her.

She places her hands on the floor to keep her balance while he thrusts into her smoothly with considerable force. His orgasm comes hard and fast, and she is ready to welcome it with moans of ecstasy, and screams of delight. " Oh..yes, Raymond, yes...Oh Red...."

"Oh...Who's your daddy, Elizabeth?...Who's your daddy, darling'? Ohh...." he moans as he is so painfully ready to come.

"You are, Ray...You're my daddy for life...Ohh Raymond Yes...." she squeals as she feels his cock's sweet release. He bends over embraces her tenderly, resting his weight on her back for just a moment, the throbbing subsides.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Red releases his grip and rests on the edge of the tub to catch his breath, and rest his leg, which is also beginning to throb. Lizzie straightens herself up, and sits down beside him, looking at him with a gentle smile, feeling bad that she had put so much strain on his injured leg. "I'm sorry, Raymond. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, Lizzie. That was wonderful, doll. The pain doesn't surpass the great pleasure that you have just given me. It was worth it, darling." She dips her fingers into the warm bath water and touches his face to soothe his distress. He closes his eyes and delights in the softness of her touch.

Elizabeth gives him a soft kiss, and helps lower him into the water, being careful not to get his bandage wet. She lies down in the water next to him in the enormous tub, cuddling up beside him, and stroking his chest with her fingertips under the soothing warm water. Raymond wraps his arm around her pulling her close, and takes the soap bar from the porcelain dish and dips it into water. Forming suds in his hands, red runs his soapy fingers through her hair, washing the troubles out of her long dark locks.

His hands feel like heaven, after such a day of hell. He rinses the soap out of out of her hair, and kisses her sweetly on the temple. Raymond looks at her lovingly, smiling and smelling her hair. "Mmm, that's better. Your hair smells like delicate roses now." He reaches over for a clean towel and wraps it gently around her head. Lizzie climbs out of the tub, and wraps another towel around herself. She reaches out her hand to him. "Here Raymond...Grab my wrist."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He takes hand in an "Indian grip", and she manages to pull him up while still keeping his bandage dry. Lizzie hands Raymond a towel that he wraps around himself, and leads him into the bedroom. She wraps her arms around his neck and sighs "Oh Raymond, I have to admit, I've been waiting for this myself. Kiss me, Raymond. I'm all yours."

Raymond kisses Lizzie so passionately that she doesn't notice that her towel has loosened and dropped off to the floor. He wraps his arms around her, running his hands along her soft moist skin, making her kiss him harder. He tosses the covers away and lays her down gently on the bed. "I'll be right back, doll."

Red goes around to turn off all the lights. He returns back turn off the lamps on the nightstand on her side to find that Elizabeth had already fallen asleep. "Aw; Poor kid..." he says to himself, as he watches her in such peaceful slumber "...she has been through so much these past few days."

Raymond quietly turns off the lamp, and goes around to the other side he pulls off his towel, leaving it on the carpet. He climbs into bed with her, and turns off his lamp. Raymond then snuggles up behind her. He embraces her, and gives her a kiss on the cheek, and whispering to her, "Goodnight, Lizzie...Sweet dreams, my love." It doesn't take more than a few seconds before he doses off into dreamland with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A "Wet to dry dressing" was a prominent method of treating wounded soldiers in World War I. This method was still used to treat gunshot wounds until the 1960's; becoming archaic after newer, more effective treatments had become available with the advancements of modern medicine.


	14. Chapter 14

As the morning sun rises over the lake; Elizabeth wakes up to find Raymond by her side. He is still fast asleep. She rolls over to face him, and gently wraps her arms around him, trying not to wake him. Red looks so darn handsome sleeping there, with the sun's golden rays shining through the window, onto his sweet face; she can't resist the urge to kiss him. Liz takes the risk in waking him, and kisses him anyway. He does wake up, and reciprocates her kiss with his passionate embrace, rolling onto his back. Liz giggles and plants sweet little kisses playfully on his lips "Good Morning, Red."

"Mmmm, Good morning Lizzie." Red says softly, with a big smile, as he runs his hands all over her soft back and buttocks. He rolls her onto her back, and kisses her long and tenderly; enjoying a few minutes of cuddling together.

"Raymond...I'm sorry I fell asleep last night." She says looking deep into his green eyes.

"Oh Lizzie...my dear Lizzie, you deserved it. My brave girl...just allow me to make love to you now, and I'll forgive you, doll." She gives him a smile, and throws her arms around his neck; pulling him in close. Her lips lock with his kissing him with great intensity wrapping her arms tightly around his back, flattening her breasts against his muscular chest. Lizzie slides one hand down to squeeze a firm round cheek of his buttocks. Raymond moans enjoying it so much, that he takes her other hand and slides it down to his to squeeze his other buttock as well "Mmm Lizzie, that's just Devine, doll."

Elizabeth squeezes and massages his gluteus muscles in a circular motion; while pressing and massaging his groin into her feminine folds. He kisses her harder, swirling his tongue deep inside her mouth. She takes a gasp of air as Red moves down engulfing her neck with his mouth and tongue. Her southern lips separate as she spreads her legs, allowing his weight to sink deep between her thighs. Liz rolls her hips and hooks her legs around his. Red becomes stiffer and harder as she grinds her soft moistening patch around his prize. She wriggles her hips up, down and around until her soft opening manages to find it's way around his crown; encapsulating him into sweet harmonious union.

"Oh Lizzie, darling yes..." she rocks her hips as his cock slides smoothly in and out of her while she continues to massage his buttocks. Raymond continues to kiss and caress her, placing his hand on her thigh and coddling her soft breasts with his tongue as the music plays soft and low.

Raymond had forgotten to turn off the radio last night, and they can't help to giggle and play along to the humorous vocals of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher." Red thrusts her playfully to the erotic sultry beat. Liz looks into Red's deep determined eyes, and rolls her hips to his rascally teasing movements; opening her legs up wider to his take him in deeper, and deeper with every sensational thrust. As he nears, he arches up his back and howls "Oh...Hi-dee-hi-dee-hi-dee-hi, Lizzie..."

Elizabeth gleefully chuckles, arching back further, digging her head into the pillow. She cries and moans as her body jitters and shakes as he brings her into a full orgasmic bliss. "Ohh, Hi-dee-hi-dee-Ho Ray!...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Haha. Oh Lizzie; that was fun." Red rolls onto his back and lounges; catching his breath and running his tongue along his lips; as he watches Lizzie get up and stroll naked about the room looking for something to cover up. "How about some breakfast, doll?" She turns to him, and nods as he picks up the phone and orders them room service. Then; with no help on his part; Red continues to watch her, to his own amusement, struggle to find some clothes while he still lays there naked and unashamed as a jay bird. She finally finds a couple robes in the closet, and tosses him one.

"You knew they were in there all along." She says as he gives her a playful smirk. Liz shakes her head "Men." she groans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Room service arrives fairly quickly. Red had ordered them both Eggs Benedict with toast and coffee. Elizabeth sits in her bathrobe with her legs crossed, kicking her foot to the music on the radio. She finishes her breakfast, and applies her makeup in the mirror, while watching Red get dressed in the background in a lovely black pinstriped suit. Liz pauses as she puts on her lipstick, to tell his reflection in the mirror "Raymond, you look so stunning in that suit."

He smiles as he straightens his burgundy silk tie. "Thank you, doll."

The music stops and nasal voice comes on the radio; "Breaking news folks,...Last night a mysterious unknown mobster going by the name of Tommy 'Two-face' Keen was found dead at an old garage on N. Clark St. it was the same garage that was the scene of the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre last year...."

Elizabeth's eyes widen, and look nervously over at Red; looking seemingly unfazed as he calmly lights himself a cigar, and exhales a plume of smoke into the air. He leans against the side of the Silvertone, and calmly listens as the fast talking voice continues....

"....Some say it was retaliation for for massive shootout between Moran and Capone's gangs with some former members of the Rat's at the Palace Theatre earlier in the evening; others say that he was actually the man behind the massive turf war between the North and the South Side Gangs. Top G-man Eliot Ness is silent and has been unavailable for comment, but a witness near the scene told reporter that she heard two men refer to a woman only as 'Nightingale' later a woman was seen leaving the building with her male companion. More details are sure to come....Now the weather....Morning sun tapers off t..." 'Click!' Red turns off the

"Raymond?..."Lizzie says with wide eyes and worried voice.

"Elizabeth Keen I have a surprise for you."

She frowns "Oh, Raymond please don't call me that..I don't want any association with that man."

He places his fedora on his head, palms the brim, and looks at her in the mirror. "That's my surprise. when I bought that lovely gown for you, I had also picked out something else for you, doll."

Forgetting all about news; Liz turns around in her chair digging her manicure into the back of her chair, and kicks her foot in anticipation. Red opens the closet door and takes the garment bag from Saks Fifth Avenue off of the rail, bringing it out of the closet. He carries it draped over his arm, and lays it down gently on the bed.

She eagerly comes over to see. He nods giving her permission to unzip it. As she bends down and starts to unzip it; Raymond says "...I made you a promise that I would do something if we made it through this alive; and I'm making good on that promise..." Liz looks up at him with those bright blue eyes and bites her bottom lip, as he nudges her "...go ahead,...open it, doll."

Elizabeth grabs the pull and unfastens the zipper all the way around and lifts the flap. "Raymond..." She is stunned, and nearly speechless. Inside the mysterious bag, that had been hanging in that closet nearly since they arrived, contained a beautiful wedding dress that he had chosen specially for her. "...Raymond, it's beautiful...thank you."

Red wraps his arms her waist, and kisses her on the cheek. "I love you, Elizabeth. This afternoon our friends have arranged a little wedding for us."

"I love you too, Raymond...what's going to happen to me...If I actually killed Tom?...Will I go to prison, Raymond?" She asks.

"Everything is going to be okay, Lizzie...You're going to be okay." He holds onto her a little tighter, and kisses her hair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Lizzie takes the dress out of the garment bag, and lays it out on the bed; she feels like a little girl, fantasizing about her dream wedding while admiring the lovely flowing white sequined chiffon, and lace. Liz turns to look sweetly at Raymond as he walks into the other room for a cup of coffee when she is jolted from her daydream with a harsh knock comes at the door. Raymond goes to answer the door. It's Ness.

"Morning, Reddington...Elizabeth. I'm sorry for the early intrusion, but I thought you kids might like to know." Ness says as strolls into their suite. He glances around the room, like he usually does when enters a room. Naturally; that's investigative part of him, to always be observant. He sees her dress laying on the bed. He pauses getting lost in a thought.

"Know what?" Elizabeth asks

"The results for your husband's autopsy." He says dryly.

"He's not my husband. Not since they declared him dead 10 years ago." She says, beginning to get a bit irritated with him. She's starts to think that she can't wait to get into that dress and get that name out of her life for good.

Red stands with a cup a coffee, beginning to get impatient himself. " Eliot, we don't have all day. You're here to tell us who killed Tommy Keen, so let's have it.

"Yes...Well, Red,...Elizabeth. I think you may want to take a look at this." He sets the file on the table. Red's heart just drops as Ness slap the manila folder onto the table. He hesitates to open the file, knowing that if the bullet that had stopped his heart had come from Elizabeth's gun, that she could be arrested for murder. Raymond could not protect her from that. He has immunity but she doesn't.

Liz sees him lower his head, as if he's saying a silent prayer. His leg seems to hurt more now than it did when he had first been shot. She comes over to him and places her on hand on his back, to lend some comfort to whatever is running through Red's mind. "It's alright, Lizzie. It's just my leg."

Ness knows better than that. Red has a higher threshold for pain that he's ever seen. He stands with seemingly no emotion as he watches her find him a chair.

Liz opens up the file. Inside is a bunch of gruesome photos Tom's mangled body taken from several different angles. The image from seeing Tom's body getting riddled with gunshots, last night, is still fresh in her mind, but that doesn't seem to bother her. The thought of Red losing another woman that he loves for the sake of love and justice disturbs her more.

Red closes the file and places his hand on top of it. "Eliot; Elizabeth doesn't have to see all that again. Just tell us what the report says."

Ness begins to recite what the Cook County Coroner had stated; that "Thomas Keen had nearly 58 slugs in him, of various calibers, .38, .357, .45, and one shotgun blast to the kneecap. We can't determine who the other two parties that were present were, but there were several cuts bruises all over his body, especially his face, and a deep stab wound in his thigh, showing clear evidence that a of a struggle ensued. A knife that was found at the scene laden with Tom's and Elizabeth's prints on it; matched the dimensions of his wound. We determined that she had stabbed him in self defense, after he had tried to attack you..." Elizabeth nods slightly. She is nervous but stays silent to let him finish.

"...Although adding to the trauma; many of the bullets that he dug out of him had missed the vital organs. Cause of death was from a gunshot to the chest, but that's where it gets interesting..." he says as he walks over to the file on the table. Elizabeth has moved, standing behind Red's chair, rubbing his shoulders nervously.

Agent Ness pulls out an X-ray of Tom's heart. He holds it up to the light so that they can see he continues "...you see this here...two bullets nearly on top of each other. The first one nearly cut clean through, even though the .357 had more velocity, the coroner determined it was the .38 that actually killed him."

Red breaks out in laughter, "Haha;...How about that. I killed him." Raymond leaps up out of his chair, despite of his injury, and hugs Elizabeth so tight that he lifts her off the ground. Lizzie just starts to cry in his arms.

"Don't cry, doll. It's over. We did it. We're free." She whimpers as your fresh make up begins to run. He looks at her and wipes a streak of liner from her cheek "Go try on that dress, Elizabeth. You and I are getting hitched." Raymond gives her a sweet kiss as he lets her go into change.

"I do love a mob wedding." He says smiling as she closes the bedroom door.

"You're a lucky man, Raymond...and she's a lucky girl. Try to keep her out of trouble...Will ya? Please give Elizabeth my apologies that I had to leave, but I have to be getting back and that I wish you both the best." Agent Eliot Ness turns , and pulls open the door to leave, but stops, turning back to look at Red "...Oh; and one last thing...Thanks. I don't know how you two pulled it off but...Thanks."

Red gives him an assuring nod. "Goodbye, Agent Ness and Thank you."

Eliot Ness places his hat on his head, gives Red a nod and goes closing the door behind him.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The End ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

~~~~~~ Epilogue ~~~~~~

Raymond and Elizabeth were married later that day in front of their mobster friends. She became dubbed as Elizabeth "Nightingale" Reddington by all the papers. They returned to live in New York City, and after the fall of Prohibition, Raymond later became a legitimate businessman, opening his clubs all over the country. Elizabeth took Raymond's advice and became a nurse.

Thankfully; unbeknownst to both of them at the time; Raymond had given Elizabeth something more than just his love and loyalty that day they rode train into Chicago. Lizzie had conceived a child that day, and not long after their wedding little Agnes Reddington was born.

Agnes grew up to be a lovely lady, and in the year of 1960; she had birthed a son who she had named "Raymond". He grew up to join the Navy and eventually follow into his grandfather's footsteps to become the new "Concierge of Crime".


End file.
